Voltron: The Legendary Defenders (Retold)
by MaggiesHeartLove
Summary: For ten thousand years, the Galra and the Galaxy Defenders have been at constant war. When one of their best pilots perishes, it's up to his brother Keith to find the mysterious weapon called Voltron. With the help of his three best friends, and a feisty princess, Keith will have to come to grips with his dark heritage and find the hero within. (Inspired by the film Moana).
1. Chapter 1

_Ever since I could remember, I had always wanted to see what life was like beyond the stars._

 _My mother would tell me stories about far away planets, intergalactic heroes and hidden treasures waiting to be discovered._

 _That might have been true once…_

 _But not anymore._

 _Ten thousand years ago, an alien race known as the Galra invaded earth. Their leader, Emperor Zarkon, was a cold-hearted, merciless ruler. Some say he was born with no heart. When the Galra realized the humans had very little to offer them in worth, their planet was destroyed. Thankfully, many had survived by evacuating the planet during the invasion. Those humans scattered the galaxy, finding refuge in various planets._

 _One of those planets was Altea._

 _A lush and vibrant land that resembled earth in almost every aspect. It also served as a refuge for many other alien races who had been forced to flee their home from due to the Galra's tyranny._

 _To fight against them, the grand council of Altea formed the Galaxy Defenders. A military army who fought in the war against the Galra. This war has been going on for centuries. A lot of us are wondering if it will ever end._

 _Some say it never will. I'm beginning to wonder the same thing._

 _In a war like this, we wouldn't just need the best pilots in the galaxy._

 _We would need a miracle._

 _We'd need a Hero._

 _*(~)*_

The crowd had already gathered around the rocket launchpad. A colorful variety of humans and aliens aligned the streets. Some were cheering while others were bidding farewell to their loved once. Today, the top pilots of the Galaxy Garrison would be sent out into space to aid in the battle against the Galra. It was both a proud and sad day for many. Several bystanders were taking pictures of the pilots, who waved and smiled.

One pilot in particular, a tall, lean and athletic looking man around his mid to late twenties, appeared to be the most excited. Or at least, he demonstrated it in a calm and collected manner, his handsome smile remained permeant on his face all throughout. He had dark hair, partly cut around the back of his neck and a white bang hung over his forehead. He wore the traditional Altean pilot unicorn, which was adorned with several bits of blue neon lights around the shoulders and collar. He carried his helmet under his arm.

"Pretty impressive, isn't Keith?"

Another young man, several years younger than him, leaned against the wall, arms crossed. His raven bangs draped over his forehead and a short mullet was styled behind his head. His eyes were a gray violet mixed with blue, slender and mysterious looking. His skin, like the older man, was pale white. He wore a red blazer jacket over a black shirt and pants. His boots were white with red trims and a pair of black fingerless gloves covered his hands.

"Yeah. It's great." Keith replied, trying his best to sound enthusiastic, but really came off as disinterested.

The older man frowned. "Come on, it's only for a year. I'll be back before you know it." he smiled, ruffling Keith's hair, making him laugh. "Who knows, maybe someone you'll be standing in my place."

"Ha! Like that'll ever happen." Keith replied, rearranging the hair his brother had messed up.

"Never say never."

"Shiro." A voice called out, getting the two brother's attention. It was a young man, roughly around twenty, with orange red hair, amber eyes and wearing a pair of glasses. He too wore the same uniform as his companion, Shiro. "I've been looking for you. King Alfor wants to have a word with us before we launch."

"I'll be right there." Shiro turned to his brother, "Wanna come and meet the king?"

Keith spontaneously froze. His eyes widening before darting back and forth nervously. "Uh, I-I better not."

"Don't worry, he's a pretty cool guy. I've told him all about you and he agrees you have potential."

"No, it's fine. Really. You go ahead. I bet it's pilots only." Keith took a step back, placing his hands in his pockets looking away.

Shiro wanted to say something else, but he knew his brother all too well. Once he set his mind on something there was no changing it. He none the less wrapped his arm around Keith, taking him by surprise and ruffled his hair. The younger brother laughed. "Ah! Shiro, stop that!"

"Last noogie of the year before I leave, better make it count!"

"Okay, stop it already!" Keith shoved Shiro right off of him, his hair once again a mess. But, he was laughing none the less. Shiro nodded his head before walking off with his fellow pilot. Keith took this moment to look around, seeing families bidding farewell to their loved once. Keith's smile quickly melted into a frown. He then noticed several eyes staring at him. At the corner of his eye he saw a few Galaxy Garrison students, whispering to one another, while glaring at the young man.

He lowed his gaze and proceeded to walk away from the scene in hopes of finding some other place where he could watch the launch, away from prying eyes. A few pedestrians had bumped into him, causing the dagger in his back pocket to suddenly fall out. A few had accidentally kicked the blade away. Keith hurried past the crowd to retrieve it, only to see it stop in front of someone's feet.

Keith squatted down to quickly retrieve it before the stranger said anything, only to notice said stranger had also squatted down in an attempt to pick up the dagger. Keith hesitated to place his hand over his possession once the stranger had touched it. Looking up, his gray violet eyes met a pair of cerulean blue eyes.

The stranger was a woman with copper brown skin, long flowing silver hair with two pink markings under the side of her eyes and her ears were pointed, much like that of an elf from a fairytale book. A trait common to Alteans. She let out a small gasp and Keith briefly froze, worried about what she might say.

The silver haired woman offered him his dagger. "Is this yours?" she asked, speaking in a light british accent.

Keith blinked, looking down at the dagger in her hand. He simply nodded. The woman kindly handed it to him, smiling kindly as she stood up at the same time Keith did. "Thanks." he said.

The woman was about to reply, until she heard the sound of someone calling from behind. She turned her head, her silvery locks moving like gentle waves. "Allura!" the voice called again.

"I should go. Have a good day." she picked the helms of her long white and pink dress and dashed away towards the man calling her. Keith only stood there watching her leave and then looked down at his dagger, still in surprise. He thought she would have said something regarding what he was, but she was either one of those people who was genuinely trying to be polite, or simply didn't know of his reputation.

"You…too." he replied, though it was already too late and she was already too far gone to even hear him.

It was almost time to launch. King Alfor took the time to wish each of the pilots good luck before they got on the ship. The orange haired boy waved to his mother, father and younger sister while Shiro waved one last time to Keith, who stood several feet away from the crowd, but it wasn't hard for the older brother to spot him. Keith smiled in return, though his eyes carried much sadness as he watched his older brother being practically showered with praise and adoration.

Of course they would. Shiro was the smartest, strongest and bravest pilot there was. Everyone admired him, even Keith knew he could never amount to who Shiro was. He was everything Keith had always hoped to be, but in the end, knew he could never be. For a moment, he felt his heart tear up in two as the countdown began. The sound of rockets blasters practically made his ears explode but paid little mind. As the rocket ship flew out into orbit, Keith felt the last bit of his family leave with it.

"Come home soon, Shiro." Keith whispered, wiping away a single tear that escaped his eye.

"Enjoying the show, half-blood?" a voice from behind startled Keith. He spun around to see it was a tall alien with dark brown eyes and white hair and a light goatee. His skin was purple with darker purple spots on his upper arms. He had a long flat pointed nose and four fingers on each hand. He gave Keith a crocked smile while crossing his arms.

"Congratulations on not starting a riot just by being here."

"Back off, Rolo." Keith said sternly, narrowing his eyes.

"Might want to watch that temper of yours. Wouldn't want anyone around here seeing you give into your Galra nature."

A low angry growl was heard from Keith's throat. His fists clenched and angrily walked away. As much as he wanted to punch that alien in the face, Rolo did make a valid point. People around here were already afraid of him as it was. The only reason nobody threw him out was because Shiro was here. But, now he wasn't.

It would only be for a year, but it would definitely be a very lonely one for Keith.

 _(~)_

 **After having watched season 2 of Voltron, I was hit with inspiration! Of course, this fanfic will only be done for fun, so there is no guarantee it will be updated as frequently as I hope. You'll be happy to know that, unlike my previous attempt, this one I plan on finishing. It'll be treated a bit more like a movie, with an adventure story and some Disney Elements thrown in because, I love Disney and why not!**

 **As stated, this is an AU story, so it is like a retelling of the reboot version, but with a slightly closer tie in to the original series. You'll know what I mean latter.**

 **The plot will borrow some similarities to the films** _ **Balto**_ **and** _ **Moana**_ **. Also, and this is something I need to confess…..I've turned into a Kallura shipper! Yes, I'm trash now! I only just side shipped it for fun, but I should have known better. The same happened with Bosami. The more I looked it up, the more it grew on me. I did originally ship Keith with my OC Estelle, but since I'm using her for my original novel, I kind of jumped that one the more I worked on the story.**

 **Speaking of which, on January 22 at 12:00 I am launching the first three chapters of my original novel** _ **Legend of the Lost Star**_ **on quotev, fictionpress and wattpad. If you enjoyed** _ **The Legend of Korra, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, The Chronicles of Narnia**_ **and** _ **Voltron**_ **, then chances are you may like this book.**

 **Don't forget, January 22 at 12:00 PM. The links will be in my deviantArt page and profile page.**

 **Until next time, God bless *kiss kiss***


	2. Chapter 2

_One year latter…._

The hover bikes zoomed across the Altean fields. The land bared a slight resemblance to the deserts back on earth, or at least in structure, but had a diverse variety of flowers and plants growing from all around. The same went for the trees, which were large in scale, but also slim, almost like the trees found in Africa ten thousand years ago. Over the centuries, humans had migrated to Altea, where the vast majority of the population resided. Over time, the alien world began to resemble earth more and more, aside from the alien creatures and a few descendants of the earth's original animals. It was one of the few remaining planets which had not been conquered by the Galra, and they hoped to keep it that way.

A few Garrison students were having a hover bike race, which was a common activity in Altea. They students were mostly having these races out in the open fields, not too far off from the Garrison itself. A boy in a blue colored hover bike grinned mischievously as he cut through the curve, overlapping his opponent.

"Come on, Rolo. I've had turtles that move faster than you!" he laughed, his short brown hair flapping in the wind.

The purple alien gave a sly grin and rammed the side of his bike to the blue one. The driver managed to regain his balance at the last minute. "Dude, that's not cool!"

"Aw, come on, Lance. We're your competitive spirit?" Rolo taunted.

"Oh, so you want some competition, huh? And here I thought we were having a friendly race. In that case." Lance revved up his engine at full throttle and zoomed forward, past Rolo. He clenched his jaw and accelerated his speed. The sound of the roaring engine was like music to his ears.

A small triangle shaped floating device hovered over the racers, floating around them, its circular lance recording every detail. Back at the Garrison, just outside the building, various students surrounded a human fourteen-year-old girl with orange red hair and ember eyes wearing glasses, holding a techpad in her hand. From her screen, they could see the racers in high definition.

"Looks like Lance just past Rolo." she said. The moment she did, another student, a rather, large young man, with dark skin and dark chocolate colored hair. He wore a yellow bandana around his forehead most of the time.

"Oh man, he's not gonna be too happy about that." he said, smiling proudly, "Make him eat space dust, Lance!" he shouted, practically blowing off the girl's eardrums.

She angrily shoved him to the side. "Thank you for sharing your enthusiasm, Hunk. I'll send you the bill for my new hearing aid." she said, wiggling her finger into her ear.

"Sorry, Pidge."

When the camera came to Lance, he waved and winked flirtatiously, "Sup, ladies!" he said. Some of the female students swooned and blushed. The girl holding the screen only rolled her eyes.

Back on the fields, Keith watched the racers go by from where he stood. His hover bike resided on a nearby hill, looking down on the pathway where the racers zoomed by. He smiled and placed his helmet on his head, revved up his engine and speeded down the hill towards the race. Rolo's eyes widened at the sight of a familiar red bike, and a mullet, suddenly seamlessly ease his way into their race.

Lance, on the other hand offered the new racer a high five. "Welcome to the party, Keith!"

"Thanks for the invite!"

"Are you kidding me?" Rolo exclaimed in frustration. He shook his head, "You just can't give it a rest, can you half-breed?"

"Let's hope you can race faster than you can talk." Keith taunted, right before speeding ahead.

Lance gave a haughty laugh, "Ha! Burn!" he said and caught up with Keith. His smile quickly melting into a frown, "You know, you really gotta work on your trash talk skills, man."

Back at the Garrison, the students either groaned or booed in frustration. "What's that mutt doing?" one student asked.

"He's at it again?"

"He'll ruin the race!"

"Mind your own business, Galra trash!"

Pidge and Hunk ignored their bigotry and proceeded to watch the race. From the looks of things, Keith was now in the lead, only passing lance by a head. Rolo clenched his jaw tighter. There was no way he was going to lose to that Galra. The race proceeded across the ridge, leaping over rocks and lakes. Keith's heart rate accelerated. There was nothing he loved more than speeding across the wide open space. With the right amount of imagination, one could almost compare this to flying out in space.

He laughed as he zoomed his bike, looking back to see Rolo right behind him. Lance was still a few feet behind, but he too laughed alongside his friend. While Lance often enjoyed winning, seeing Rolo get a taste of his own medicine felt like a prize all on its own.

Keith let out a loud "Woo-hoo!" as he was lifted into the air once he leaped over a small hill and over a pond. Once he landed onto the other side, Keith noticed at the corner of his eye that another mysterious biker had also joined the race. Odd, where was this person at the start of the race? And, his bike certainly didn't look like Garrison tech. As the newcomer came in closer, he realized that this stranger was actually female. She wore a full body white color jumpsuit with blue black and pink outlines, and a helmet that covered her entire face, leaving only her eyes visible.

"Who's that?" Keith asked.

"No idea." Lance replied.

The mysterious stranger revved up her bike and speeded right back Keith and Lance, causing the dust to rise upwards, nearly blinding the two.

"Hey!" they exclaimed in unison.

Keith wiped the dust from his helmet. "Oh, so that's how you wanna play."

Lance arched an eyebrow to see Keith speed off, right past Lance and the others, catching up to the mystery racer. Rolo finally managed to catch up to Lance, cutting his way through. "Who's ahead now, Martinez?"

"Still not you." Lance taunted, nodding his head forward towards Keith and the new racer. Rolo narrowed his eyes in anger and ambition.

The triangle shaped floating robot suddenly shifted his attention from the actual racers to Keith and the mystery racer. "Who's that?" Pidge asked, "I've never seen her before."

"Maybe she's a new student?" Hunk asked.

"Then why isn't she using one of the Garrison hover bikes?"

"No idea. But whoever she is, she's definitely got Keith a run for his money."

Hunk could not be more right. Keith had seen many skilled racers, and even if everyone else refused to admit it, he had managed to best most of them in speed. But this racer, she was somehow on the same level as him. Not on the exact same level, but surprisingly close. The two were now ahead of the others, nearing the finish line at the Garrison. Students booed upon seeing Keith coming in closer.

The mysterious racer turned her head towards Keith, who kept on a stern and focused look on his face. But, even underneath his helmet, she could see a traces of sadness and hurt. Her blue eyes softened and, to Keith's surprise, she suddenly turned away, ridding off from the area, away from the racer and the Garrison.

Keith looked on in confusion. "Hey, wait!" he call out, but it was already too late.

"Go, Keith!" Hunk called out, cheering him on. "You're almost there."

Keith returned his attention back to the race. Lance managed to cat up to him, smiling proudly. "You're almost there buddy. You've got this."

Keith nodded in gratitude and picked up speed. He completely ignored the angry cries of everybody else, the sound of the revving engine filled his ears. Unfortunately, he was a tad too caught up in the moment to notice Rolo rush to his side, collide his bike with Keith's, which in turn collided with Lance. The two friends screamed as they were tossed off their bikes and rolled onto the ground while Rolo took the finish line for himself. The students cheered him on, save for Hunk and Pidge who rushed to help their companions. The pyramid hovering robot floated towards them.

Rolo removed his helmet, smiling victoriously while waving to his audience. "Hold the phone!" Lance called out from behind Rolo, getting his attention. "You can't take this win, you knocked us over!"

"All's fair in war and races, Martinez."

"You only cheated because Keith was about to beat you!" Pidge called out in frustration.

Rolo laughed, "That mutt? For all I know, he would have done the exact same thing." he said, speaking in a low, almost threatening voice as he approached Keith. The two narrowed their eyes sternly. "You Galra are known for fighting dirty." Rolo said, his face inches away from Keith to the point he could smell the purple alien's bad breath.

"Leave him alone, Rolo!" Lance intervened, stepping in between the two. "Keith would never do anything like that."

"Quit fooling yourself, Martinez. It won't be long before he stabs all three of you in the back. Literally."

Keith's face tensed, his hands closed into tight fists while his friends stood in front of him before Rolo. "The only backstair around here, is you!" Hunk exclaimed, pointing his finger at Rolo's chest, only to have the alien rise his clawed hand upward and Hunk reeled back cowardly.

Rolo simply scoffed, "It's your funeral. Don't say I didn't warn you." with that, he turned away, returning his attention to his fans. Lance, Hunk and Pidge stared daggers at the alien.

"Don't listen to him, Keith." Lance said, turning around to see that the raven haired boy was no longer standing behind them, but rather had boarded onto his bike and rode off from the scene. "Keith!"

The three friends stood there, watching in silence as their friend rode off on his own. The hovering robot approached Pidge, who gently rubbed it's side. "It's okay, Rover."

While Keith rode off, the mysterious racer watched him from afar. As much as she wished she could, she couldn't finish the race with the others. Besides, she didn't even go to the Garrison. Removing her helmet, she allowed her long silvery hair to bellow in the wind. Her blue eyes locked on the poor boy who disappeared into the distance.

(~)

Allura breathed in a sigh of relief once she parked her bike in the garage. In her quarters, she had chanced back into her typical daily princess blue, white and pink gown and slipped out of her room, acting casual. She made sure to wear some extra perfume to mask the smell of motor oil and sweat.

"Allura!" a voce called out. An older Altean male approached the princess, panting once he reached her. "Oh, thank goodness you're back! I thought you got lost! Or worse, that somebody spotted you!"

"Coran, calm down. I know these fields like the back of my hand. And nobody saw me."

"Are you sure? Because you know how your father feels about you going off to race with the Garrison students."

"I don't understand what the problem is. It was just a harmless race." Allura frowned. "Besides, It's not like I snuck into the building, stole a ship and flew off into space."

"Yeah…but you still wish you could." Coran said, his voice softening. Allura sighed sadly, looking downwards. "How long are you going to keep doing this. It's far too dangerous."

"I was perfectly safe, Coran." Allura protested.

"I'm not worried about you, I'm worried about _me_! I can't keep lying to your father, they have laws against that!"

Allura softly shook her head and kindly patted Coran on the back, "Come along, now. I'll make you some tea. It'll calm your nerves."

"Thank you, Princess."

(~)

Keith angrily tossed his helmet to the wooden floor of his shack. The young boy lived in a small one in the outskirts of town. It was a tad dryer where he was, but there were still field of the famous Altean flowers all around. He sat on the front porch, sighing and hanging his head dejectedly.

A small lateen coyote pup popped his head from behind Keith, jumped onto his lap and started licking his face. Immediately, Keith smiled and laughed at the ticklish sensation of the coyote locking his cheek. "Ha, ha! Okay, good to see you too, Balto. Down, boy."

The little pup curled in his lap and sat down, still panting happily while Keith petted his head. Balto was a small gray/blue colored pup with light purple irises with darker purple pupils and scalera. Keith named him Balto, after the famous siberian husky from earth.

Keith pulled out a dagger from his back pocket, the same one he had carried his entire life since his mother passed away, as well as his step-father. Who was, in reality, more of a real father to him than his biological one ever was. He wasn't even ashamed of never having known him. Even if they had met, no doubt he would have wanted nothing to do with him.

He looked down at the flowers around him. His mind drifted off to memories of the past. Where he would often see his mother picking these flowers for her vases inside the house. The small shack always smelled like sweet candies because of those flowers. While his mother was preparing dinner, Keith's father would often be playing with him and Shiro. Despite sharing different fathers, the two brothers were as close as two peas in a pod.

Shiro was the one who first taught Keith how to defend himself. When they were younger, Keith would often pout about not being as good as Shiro. But the older brother never once made fun of him for that.

"Come on, let's try again." he would often say.

"Why bother?" Keith asked, "I'm just going to lose again."

"Well, you will if you stay down. One more time and I promise we'll stop."

Keith eventually complied, and just when he felt he was close to loosing again, something inside of him ignited and he managed t best his brother by knocking him down in a single swoop. Keith panted, feeling an insane rush of adrenaline, only to suddenly reel back in terror. Shiro dusted himself off, smiling proudly.

"That was amazing! I knew you could do it!" he said. But Keith curled up into a fettle position on the ground. "Keith, what's wrong?"

"I could have hurt you." he said. "I felt…my other side come out. It scared me."

Shiro sat down beside him, wrapping his arm around the frightened boy. "You have nothing to be afraid of."

"Everybody else is afraid of me."

"That's because they don't know you."

"No. It's because I'm Galra! How do I know I'm different from those monsters?"

"You may be half Galra, but you're also half human. It doesn't matter what's in your blood, it's who you are that counts. Nobody decides who you are. Only you can decide who you become. So, who do you want to be?"

Keith thought about it for a moment. He looked up at the sky, seeing that the sun was setting over the horizon. The sky was slowly darkening, allowing for the stars to appear one by one. A smile formed across Keith's face. "I want to be a pilot. I want to go out into space and save the universe like the Guardians do!"

Shiro laughed softly, "Well, looks like we've got the same dream."

"But, can I be a pilot? Even though…I'm…"

"Of course you will. You're going to do great things someday. I have no doubt."

Keith smiled and hugged his brother. Shiro then ruffled his hair and the two raced back inside when their mother called them for dinner.

It had been over a year since Shiro had left, and not a day went by that he didn't think of him. After his mother had died due to illness when Keith was fourteen, and his father died in an accident no more than two years after that, it was just him and Shiro. Keith was always an independent soul, able to fend for himself without help from anyone, and was somewhat of an introvert, preferring some quiet serenity over too much noise, but even he sometimes grew tired of too much silence and solitude. He had his friends, but they were often studying at the Garrison, and the only times when he could see them was during their free time.

So, as expected, Keith spent most of his time alone, with only Balto as company.

"Hey, Keith!" a voice called out from nearby. The raven haired boy looked up to see Lance arrive on his bike, with Hunk and Pidge ridding behind him. Lance was the first to get off and approach his friend. "Listen, about what happened down there with Rolo, we-"

"It's okay, Lance." Keith interrupted. "He was right. I shouldn't have even been in that race. Even if I did win it wouldn't have mattered. They'd probably hate me more than they already did."

"No, it's my fault." Lance said with regret. "I was the one who invited you in the first place. I just know how much you love racing and since, you know, you can't study at the Garrison now I just thought-."

"And I apreciate it, really." Keith said with sincerity, though due to his often stoic demeanor, his sincerity did sometimes come off as a dad dry. Thankfully, his friends new him better. "Guys, I'm fine. It's not like I'm not used to it by now."

"I still think it's stupid." Pidge said, crossing her arms, "I mean, Keith is the fastest pilot I know. The Garrison would kill for someone like him."

"Well, he did kind of did go on a blind rampage, attacked Rolo and the Commander said they'd never enroll a Galra into the Garrison." Hunk pointed out…only to receive some very, very nasty looks from both Lance and Pidge.

"It wasn't Keith's fault! Rolo was the one who started it for talking trash about his mom!"

Keith remembered that day. His terrifying strength and aggressive nature in battle deemed him far too unpredictable and unstable to be disciplined. A true Galra in the eyes of many. His only chance of becoming a pilot had long since flown right out the window before he even had a chance to walk through the door.

Pidge then realized what she had just said. She had briefly forgotten how sensitive Keith was about the topic of his mother. "I'm sorry, I didn't-"

"Guys, it's fine." Keith replied, forcing a smile. "Like I said, I'm used to it. You don't have to sugarcoat anything for me. I'm not some little kid you can protect."

"He's got a point." Lance said, wrapping his arm around Keith, "Tell you what, how's about we put all this behind us and the four of us hit the town tonight? Get some drinks, catch a movie. I know a supper cute girl at this cafe, I could hook you up with one of her friends."

Keith chuckled nervously and stepped back, removing his friend's arm. "As tempting as that sound, I think I'll pass. I'm not in the mood to be around…large crowds."

"Okay, okay, dully noted. Or we could just play some video games and watch a home movie."

Hunk rose his hand enthusiastically. "Oh, I'll bring snacks!"

"I'll bring the games!" Pidge rose her hand.

"I'll bring the movie!" Lance rose his hand, "How do you feel about musicals?"

Keith laughed at his friends' enthusiasm, "Alright, fine. Why not?"

"Great. We'll see ya after class is over."

"Catch ya latter, Keith!" Hunk waved farewell, as did Pidge and the three rode off on Lance's bike, leaving Keith back to just him and Balto.

He squatted down and petted the dog's head. "Better clean the place us, boy." he said. Keith went back inside. As small as this place was, it was rather unkept. The shack consisted of a couch, a table and an old television set, but it still worked. Once he proceeded to spruce up the place, he came across a photograph of him and Shiro. It was on the day of the launch. The older brother was ruffling Keith's hair, something that always annoyed him, but over time he had actually come to miss it. It was just Shiro affectionate way of showing he cared.

The rest of his wall was filled with news paper articles about heroic pilots who managed to win several battles against the Galra. Some had statues commemorated for their greatness, while others were pictures of ships, sleek and sophisticated machinery that Keith would give just about anything to fly on.

It was so hard for him to both look at them, but also hard to look away. He knew nobody would even allow him to become an official pilot, but he refused to stop trying to fight for that goal, even if nobody else would want him to be a pilot due to what he was.

It as a noble pursuit, but also exhausting. There had been times where he wondered if it was easier to just accept the reality of the situation and search for something else. A thought the fiery ambitious spirit within him refused to accept.

He was shaken from his thoughts when Balto accidentally made his father's old wooden guitar fall. The soft strumming sound filled the small shack. Keith gently picked up the instrument and strummed on its cords. Music somehow managed to always calm the ragging beast within him.

(~)

Allura adored the soft music of the Altean love birds. The princess retreated to the royal garden to spend some time with the animals. Four Altean mice happily ate the treats she held for him in her hand. The sweet sugary smell of the Altean flower filled her nostrils. This was her mother's favorite place in the entire castle.

A new presence had entered the castle, making Allura look up. "Oh, Father. You're home."

Allura's father, King Alfor, was a strong-looking Altean man with copper skin, identical to his daughter's. His hair was snow white, as was his beard. Like her, he too had pink markings under the side of his eyes, except his were blue instead of pink. His eyes were ice blue, just like Allura's. He wore a full metal armor with neon blue trimmings, and a long blue cape.

"Hello, Allura. How was your day?"

"It was alright."

"Anything interesting."

"Not particularly. I mean, aside from your council meeting nothing much else happened today."

"Really? I thought, maybe you would find something entertaining to do while I was gone."

Allura shrugged her shoulders casually, "I guess it was just one of those lazy days."

"I suppose." King Alfor said as he approached the aviary where the birds were. One willingly landed on his finger and he gently stroke its soft feathers. "You know, while I was there heard that the Garrison students were having an unauthorized race today."

Allura's body froze for a split second. Her back was to her father, keeping her focus on the mice. "Did they?"

"They also said something about a mysterious racer suddenly appearing out of nowhere, and then suddenly disappeared." The king said. The princess kept her composure, though her heart was pounding.

"I'm surprised you'd be interested in something like that." Allura said, "It's just students having a bit of fun. Didn't you used to do those races when you were young?"

"Yes. But, at least I had the discipline to ask my father before doing such a reckless act." his voice became hard and somewhat cold.

Allura knew she had been discovered. She sighed, sat back and and faced her father. "If I had asked you, you would have said no."

"And with good reason." Alfor replied sternly. His eyes quickly softened and placed his hands on his daughter's shoulders. "Allura, you know why I don't feel comfortable you participating in these types of events."

"Because you don't believe I can handle myself?"

"No, because I know you. I know you do this as an outlet to fuel your desire to pilot a ship."

"And what's so wrong about that?" Allura's voice rose in volume. "You used to be a pilot once, as was mother! You both fought in the war against Zarkon, you didn't just sit in a castle doing paperwork and attend ceremonies, you actually did something!"

"And that is exactly how I lost your mother! These people need someone to lead them! Our family gives them hope, you will be of no use to your people if you are dead!" the King's anger flared. Allura was silent. The bird had ceased their singing, and the mice had hidden themselves in a nearby flower pot. Alfor took in slow deep breaths, his eyes and expression softening. "One day, the throne will be yours. These people will look to you for hope."Alfor placed his hand on her shoulder. "You don't know the things I have seen, Allura. How many lives I had failed to save, including your mother's. I don't want to lose you too."

"I just don't believe it's fair that countless people are risking their lives and we aren't." Allura said.

"You're still young. When you're older, you will understand."

Allura did not say a word. She turned her head away from her father, her eyes stern and cold. Alfor sighed and left her be. Just like her mother, he knew it was wise to allow her to be on her own to think things through. The birds sang their soft song once more, while Keith continued to strum on his guitar.

(~)


	3. Chapter 3

**WARNING! WARNING! There is a song in this chapter, but it won't be "sung" by the characters per say. Just think of it as a song that is playing in the background…being sung by Steven Yeun and Jessy J. Anyway, no characters will be singing here, but the song is sung "in their heads". You know what, you'll like the song anyway, so let's just move on.**

 _(~)_

The sound of his mother's soft singing filled his mind as Keith strum on his guitar. After a while, he finally stopped, but the soft melody played on in his mind as if it were on auto pilot. He stepped out of the shack, seeing the sun hovering over the horizon. It would be dark in a few hours, and soon the stars would come out. He could see the vast void known as space right from where he stood. A place so wide there was no end to the possibilities. It was somewhat of a childish ideal, but ever since he was a child he had a strong urge to go out there. See what was beyond the stars. Shiro was lucky to experience that every day.

 _I've been staring at the world beyond_

 _Long as I can remember, never really knowing why_

Allura left the garden, the little mice on her shoulders as she, having returned to her room, staring at her biker helmet. Her thumb traced the surface of the metallic object. The sounds of revving engines echoed in her ears as if they were actually there. She gazed at her reflection in the full body mirror of her room, seeing the contrasting images of an elegant princess and a biker's helmet clash with one another.

 _I wish, I could be the perfect daughter_

 _But inside there's a fighter_

 _That I can not deny_

Keith traced his fingers across his hair as he walked along the fields, in hopes of clearing his head, which was more filled with memories and ideas that were overwhelming him. Balto accompanied him, wagging his tail. Allura too felt she needed to breath, but she knew she would not be able to think inside the palace, so instead she walked outside, not to the garden, but outside to the stables, where the Altean stallions were kept. She allowed the creatures to nuzzle her face as she walked along.

 _Every turn I take, every trail I track_

 _Every path I make, every road leads back_

 _To the place I know where I cannot go_

 _Where I long to be_

The princess looked up at the sky, noticing that a few stars had already begun to appear. They were small in numbers, but were still visible to see. Keith too noticed these stars. A smile formed across his face. Balto barked happily behind him and Keith was suddenly inspired to do something just for the heck of it. After today, he needed something that could bring him in a good mood. He climbed a tall rock, with just his bare hands all the way to the top.

Meanwhile, Allura sat on the fence that separated her and the stallions, feeling the wind in her long silver hair, gazing up at the stars.

 _See the line where the stars fill the sky_

 _It calls me_

 _And no one knows, how far it goes_

 _If the sea and the land under my feet stay behind me_

 _One day I'll know_

 _If I go, there's just no telling how far I'll go_

Once Keith reached the top of the rock, as fate would have it, one of the Garrison test ships flew overhead, so close Keith felt as if he could touch it. Allura saw the same ship not too far away, which motivated her to head down to the garage to where her bike was. Seeing the ship made her want to be near it again, to remind her of how much she enjoyed racing today. Even if it was for a while.

Keith saw the town from where he stood. In the streets he saw people of all shapes and sizes, going about their day. People who knew exactly who they were. They were all so diverse and unique, yet nobody bated and eye. And yet, whenever he walked into town, folks would either keep their distance or say something negative about him.

Allura made her way down the hallway of the castle, getting the servants, workers, and guards. She passed by some portraits of her family. Her mother in particular. The queen of Altean was a fearless and compassionate leader. A true hero in the eyes of everyone. It was a shame she had to leave them all so soon. Too soon, in Allura's opinion. All she ever wanted was to be like her mother. To be a true leader, one everyone could look up to and one who would be willing to sacrifice anything for the people she loved. Yet, her father had already lost so many lives. She really couldn't blame him for being hesitant. He still was very active in the community, but he no longer participated in the battle field. She was starting to regret having yelled at him earlier.

 _I know, everybody on this planet seems so happy on this planet_

 _Everything is by design_

 _I know, everybody on this planet has a role on this planet_

 _So maybe I can roll with mine_

Allura began to think maybe her father was right. Maybe she should just give up this silly idea to be out there fighting Zarkon and be content with what she could do here in Altea. Yet, at the same time, by thinking this, she felt as if she were betraying a part of herself, but also, if she did decide to go, she still felt she was betraying her family. It frustrated her to have this soft of tug at war with herself. Stay here and be the leader she needs to be, or go out there and be the leader who does something.

 _I can lead with pride, I can make us strong_

 _I'll be satisfied if I play along_

 _But the voice inside sings a different song_

 _What is wrong with me?_

Keith eventually turned his gaze away from the town and then back to the sky, where he could still see the stars. The town itself seemed to look smaller in comparison. He climbed down from the rock and ran towards his bike.

Allura eventually made it to the garage, and seeing her bike again, suddenly snapped her out of her funk. She rushed towards it, putting on her extra helmet and revved up the engine. The door opened, allowing the light to shine right through. Allura wasted no time and speeding right out of the castle. The little mice were still on her shoulder, but now rode shotgun with her on the bike.

 _See the stars as they shine up above_

 _It's magic_

 _And no one knows_

 _How far they go_

 _And it seems like they're calling out to me, so come find me_

 _And let me know_

 _What's beyond that sky, will I cross that line?_

Balto playfully wore Keith's helmet, which the young man laughed at before placing it on himself. Balto jumped on the backseat and Keith rode his bike across the fields. Even if everybody else, aside from his friends, didn't want him around, that didn't mean he wasn't allowed to blow off steam and ride freely without the restraint of anyone else's opinions.

Allura smiled broadly as she too rode across the fields, zooming and zigzagging at top speed. Even if she did have to stay here, that didn't mean she couldn't ride. It was similar to piloting, just without the traveling through space, but hovering over the lands was still the closest she could get.

Who knows. Maybe if they were lucky, they really might actually get there one day.

 _See the line where the stars fill the sky_

 _It calls me_

 _And no one knows, how far it goes_

 _If the sea and the land under my feet stay behind me_

 _One day I'll know_

 _How fall I'll go!_

Both Keith and Allura rode over two arc shaped rocks, where a pond laid underneath them both. The separation between the two arch shaped rocks was wide but either one of them could have landed onto the other rock opposite them.

Unfortunately, they wounded up instead crashing their bikes into the other in mid air, causing them both to fly right off their bikes and into the pond, loosing their helmets in the process. Since they were advanced hover bikes, they slowly lowered down, hovering over the surface of the water.

Both riders surfaced, gasping for air, their helmets floating beside them. The only ones who ere lucky enough not to fall in were Balto and the mice, who were still on the bikes.

Allura's silver hair floated around her like seafood, spitting the liquid from her mouth. Keith paddled towards the woman, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." she replied, "Could have been worse. Could have swamp water."

"I'm really sorry, I didn't see you."

"No, it's okay. It was an accident, there's no need to apologize. Are _you_ okay?"

"Yeah." Keith nodded. The two heard Balto bark from Keith's bike and the two swam over to their respected ones. It was there that Keith recognized it. "Wait. That bike." his eyes widened, "It's you! You're that girl from the race!"

"Surprise?" Allura said awkwardly, water dripping from her ears and nose. The two pulled their bikes to dry land, and it was there when Keith suddenly winced in pain. "You _are_ hurt, aren't you!"

"Just a sprained wrist, no big deal."

"Let me see." the princes gently took his hand, but Keith immediately pulled it back. "Relax, I'm not going to cut you open."

"It's fine, you don't need to look." Keith replied, protecting his wrist, only to wince again. He had not noticed the injury while he was in the water. But, now that he thought about it, his writs did twist a bit right when he was falling off his bike.

"Please, I just want to help." Allura insisted.

"You can help if you just lay off!"

Allura's eyes narrowed and forcibly grabbed his lower forearm and lifted his wrist up for her to inspect.

"Hey!" Keith exclaimed in protest, thought slightly impressed she was able to take his arm so swiftly and effortlessly. He knew Alteans were strong, but had never experienced an example of it first hand.

Allura gently touched where he had injured himself. Keith's eyes widened in terror was she pushed back his jacket. Allura gently pressed her fingers onto the surface of the long black glove which covered his entire lower arm. Keith winced when she hit the injured spot.

"Alright. Just a minor fracture, but we should do something about it." she nodded to the mice, who saluted her and scurried to her bike. They worked together to take out what appeared to be an emergency kit.

Keith remained silent, because when Allura had pushed back Keith's sleeve and removed his long black glove. He wanted to stop her, but already knew it was inevitable to do so. The woman was persistent, he could tell that much. In doing so, Allura had revealed the only physical aspect of him that was remotely Galra.

From his wrist to his shoulder, his arms were purple. He expected Allura to gasp. To scream, or even run away right then and there. But, to his surprise she didn't do any of that. Even Lance, Hunk and Pidge had some reaction to when they first discovered Keith was part Galra, even though they did eventually warmed up to him. Still, Allura had zero reaction to his Galra heritage. Not even a hint of surprise or resistance in her expression could be found. He sat there in silence while Allura placed the cream on his wrist and wrapped a bandage around it.

"There. I used a special Altean healing cream. It should be better by morning." Once she was done, Keith looked down at his wrist and then back at Allura as she proceeded to place her materials back into the box. She noticed him staring at her in a way that made it appear as if she had just grown a second head. "What?"

"You're…still here?"

Allura blinked. "Did you black out a moment ago?"

"No, I mean-you're not…scared?"

"About you being half Galra? I already knew that, Keith."

"What?!"

"My father was good friends with your brother, Shiro. I knew him well too. He often spoke very highly of you. And I remember seeing you at the launch on the day he and the other pilots left Altea. Plus, you've got quite the reputation around here."

Keith looked away, downcast. "Right."

Allura immediately regretted her words. "I didn't mean it like that."

"It's okay. I'm used to it." Keith managed to give her a sincere smile in gratitude until he noticed one of the mice sniffing his fingers. The little creature crawled up to his shoulder, nuzzling his face. Keith chuckled lightly. "Guess I'm not the only one who brings his pet along for a joy ride.

Allura giggled, "Not just one." she pointed to the rest of the mice, who too had crawled onto Keith's shoulder, squeaking happily.

"All I have is Balto."

The little coyote pup barked and wagged his tail in the presence of the princess. He jumped onto Allura's lap and started licking her. "Aww, aren't you the cutest little thing."

Keith stood up, being careful with his now wrapped wrist and took the throttle of his bike, pushing it forward. "I wouldn't advice you to drive with an injured wrist. Believe me, it doesn't help."

"Well, guess I'm walking back."

"You live around here?"

"Not too far off. Besides, I know these fields. I'll manage." Keith proceeded to walk home, pushing his bike, which came easy for him. As half Galra, his strength was a bit greater than that of a normal human. Not as powerful, but strong enough to take his bike alongside him all the way home. And a walk would be good for him. He wasn't really complaining.

"Thanks for your help, Princess." he said, "And, I'm sorry for crashing into you again."

"Likewise." Allura said.

Keith nodded and proceeded to walk on home. He stopped midway when he saw Allura too pushing her bike forward. "What are you doing?"

"Well, it wouldn't be proper etiquette if I rode on my bike while you had to walk. Besides, it is partly my fault you're hurt."

"Won't you get in trouble with your father if you're not back before nightfall?"

"My father's at another council meeting latter tonight, and Coran's covering for me."

Keith gave a crocked smile. "Not your first time out of the palace, is it?"

"Not even close." Allura replied with a sly grin.

(~)

The walk back to the shack was surprisingly more pleasant than Keith had expected. Allura wasn't overly chatty like Lance, or constantly complaining about the distance like Hunk and Pidge did. The shorter girl was never one for the outdoors. As someone who enjoyed the quiet, it was nice to be around someone who appeared to be as comfortable in silence as he was. She certainly didn't appear annoyed by it. The princess's eyes scanned the area, taking in its vast exotic beauty.

"You know, I've been ridding across this fields for years, but I hardly ever took the time to just walk and enjoy them." she said. "How long have you lived here?"

"All my life. My mom was a florist so she made a living out of selling flowers."

"My mother used to love gardening too. Her favorite was always the Altean Amethyst flower."

"No kidding. That was my mom's favorite too."

"What about your father? What did he do for a living?"

"He worked at an antique shop in town. It wasn't the most extravagant life but we were well off."

"It sounds nice."

And just like that, the silence returned. Keith wasn't really much of a conversation starter, but it didn't feel polite to just continuously walk in silence. It as nice at first, but now he wondered if it secretly bothered the princess.

"You're not much of a talker are you?" Allura asked, taking Keith off guard. She giggled, "It's okay. I know I'm not that good at starting a conversation either. Put me in a room filled with Ambassadors or visiting dignitaries and I'm a social butterfly. But around normal people…I'm a wallflower."

"I'm assuming life in the palace isn't all ribbons and ball room dances, is it?" Keith asked.

"For the most part, no. Don't get me wrong, I can't say life in the palace is dreadful, but it can be overwhelming. Still, as future queen I should place all of my focus on becoming a good ruler for my people."

"Does racing in mediocre competitions play a part in that?" Keith asked, somewhat amused at the fact that such an elegant princess would sneak out just to participate in a silly competition.

Allura gave him a cocky grin. "Mediocre? You certainly didn't think so." she said, reminding Keith of how he was acting like a little kid during his first time on a roller coaster.

"Does your father know about any of this?"

"Are you kidding? If he ever found out he'd ground me for the next eighty moons!"

"Then why do you do it?" Keith asked, suddenly curious.

The two briefly stopped and Allura sighed, "Promise you won't laugh?" Keith nodded his head. The princess bit her bottom lip before responding. "I know it's not expected but…I sometimes wish I could pilot a ship and, leave Altea to see the galaxy."

Keith's eyes widened at her confession. His entire body froze. Allura's face turned red and she turned away. "I know, it's stupid!"

"No, not at all!" Keith stated, worried if she may have read his reaction wrong. "I'm just, surprised that's all. I mean, I thought your father didn't pilot anymore after…what happened to his wife."

Allura looked back at him. Her pointed ears slightly lowering to reflect her mood. "That's the reason why he will never let me do it." she said, and the two proceeded to head back to Keith's shack. "He's so scared of losing me the same way he lost my mother. While I can understand his concerns, I just can't shake this feeling. Whenever I see a ship or ride my bike at exhilarating speed, I feel so…it's hard to explain."

"Like this voice inside calling out to you." Keith said. Allura's ears perked up, her eyes slightly widening. "It's so faint, almost like a whisper that, logically, you shouldn't listen to it but you still do?"

Allura blinked. "That's…that's exactly it. I didn't know mind reading was a Galra thing."

Keith chuckled, "It's not. When I was a kid, my dream was to be a pilot like my brother. After he left, I tried to enroll at the Garrison." he looked away, crestfallen. "But, I blew it."

"What happened?"

"I…lost my temper and attacked one of the students." he confessed. The princess could see the clear regret in his eyes. "He said some things about my mother, and I didn't take it well."

"That wasn't your fault. That blockhead never should have said anything like that. I'm sure if they knew the whole story-"

"We tried to clear up the whole thing, but after witnessing my aggression the Garrison didn't want to take any chances having a half Galra as a pilot. I have a short temper overall so, I can't really blame them much."

They stopped once more, Allura placed a hand on Keith's shoulder. "It wasn't your fault. I think you will make a great pilot."

Keith wanted to smile, he really did, but the reality of the situation bared down on him like a pile of rocks. "Thanks. But, it's too late for me."

"Maybe not. You know, you're brother was known for a lot of things. One of them was that slogan he always told the other struggling students to help push them on…"

"Never say never." the two responded in unison, catching them both off guard. A soft breeze brushed Keith's bangs while Allura's hair moved like soft ocean waves on a late summer afternoon. The silence had returned, but this time Keith welcomed it. It was then he noticed something strange. He heard his heart suddenly beating faster than normal. Strange, that only happened whenever he was on his bike, but he had been walking the entire time. He also felt his cheek suddenly feel incredibly hot the more he gazed into Allura's eyes.

The young boy was broken from his thoughts when Balto started barking at a nearby cave, dashing towards it. "Where is he going?" Allura asked.

"Oh, I know this cave." Keith replied. "Balto and I found it one day while we were walking out here."

"What's so special about a cave?" Allura asked.

Keith rose a brow, giving a crocked smile, "You really shouldn't judge a book by its cover." he said, Allura tilted her head in confusion.

(~)

Keith led Allura to the cave, their bikes now placed right in front of it. The princess curiously followed the young man, but even inside there was really nothing that impressed her. "It's still just a cave." she said, placing a hand on her hip.

"And Lance says I'm impatient." Keith muttered to himself.

"I heard that." Allura replied, though Keith didn't really flinch. For some reason, this princess amused him. The cave appeared to become darker the further they walked in. Allura was having a hard time seeing what was in front of her. Both Keith and Allura pulled out their phones, switching on the bright light and Keith saw Allura about to trip on a small rock.

"Watch your step." he said, unfortunately, Allura had already tripped and would have fallen to the ground…had Keith not caught her in time. The princess adjusted herself, her arms still around Keith and his own arms wrapped protectively around her waist. They awkwardly separated rather quickly, both of their faces tinted with red.

"Um, thanks." Allura said, self cautiously fiddling with a strand of her hair.

"Don't worry about it." Keith replied, the accelerated heart rate had increased and he could have sworn he felt himself sweating. Balto finally stopped at what appeared to be a dead end. Keith suddenly shut off his the light on his phone. "Turn off your light." he said, pressing his hand to the wall, which appeared to have something attached to it.

"Why?" Allura asked.

"You wanted to know what makes this cave so special. You're about to get your answer."

Allura sighed in defeat and did as Keith had asked. The entire cave had become pitch black. The light on Keith's phone suddenly turned back on, only now it was placed on a metallic hook attached to the cave wall. The phone's light was adjusted to beam at one part of the cave wall, directly at a shimmering blue crystal. The light off of the surface reflected off of the others.

Allura gasped, her eyes widening in awe at the sight of a million crystals, each of a different color, shape and size. With the black cave, the glowing crystals gave the impression that she was literally walking in space. She couldn't even see the ground underneath her. A wide smile formed on her face, all the while Keith stood beside the wall, watching her reaction.

"This is amazing!" she said, nearly breathless. "It feels so endless."

Keith walked up to her, both admiring the stunning sight. "I may never get a chance to see the real thing, but this is definitely close."

"I'm sorry I doubted you." she said, still mesmerized by the display. "It's so beautiful."

"Yeah…it is." Keith kept his eyes on the star-like crystals, the lights dancing on the surface of their cloths, hair and skin. Their gazes eventually met the other, seeing the stars in each other's eyes. Time seemed non existent now. All that remained were the stars surrounding them and each other. There was still Balto and the mice, who had been ridding on the coyote's head the entire time, but they sat silently in a corner. A female mouse swooned while watching the two.

It was the first time Keith had met someone who shared the same desire to see what was beyond Altea, but who at the same time was restricted due to the expectations of others. It was a very, very, very risky thing to be seen in a cave with the princess. Every rational bone in his body was practically screaming at him that this was a bad idea. But, at the same time, he couldn't will himself to move, or even make an excuse as to why he couldn't be here. His heart was racing again, but he didn't seem to mind this time.

He finally gained the courage to admit, internally, how beautiful Allura was. Her hair was the color of stardust and the way her eyes sparkled like the crystals made his cheeks burn. Allura also noticed how handsome Keith was. She had already known that, but standing closer to him, she was completely lost in his gorgeous purple gray eyes.

The spell was broken when Allura's phone suddenly rang. The princess gasped in shock, nary jumping in fear. Her heart beat fast and she reached into her pocket to see who was calling. "Hello?"

"Princess! You have to come back, right now!"

"Coran? What happened?"

"Your father's meeting finished early, he'll be back in thirty minutes! You have to hurry back!"

"Oh, no. I'll be right there!" Allura quickly hung up and gave Keith a regretful look. "I'm so sorry."

"It's okay, I understand." Keith replied, quickly taking her hand and leading her outside back to her bike.

"Will you alright?"

"I'm only fifteen minutes away from home." Keith replied, "I'll be fine. Just go before your dad gets back."

Allura smiled warmly. She hatted saying goodbye after making a new friend. "Thank you, Keith. I had fun."

"Um, yeah." he replied rather shyly. "Me too."

Allura put on her helmet and ignited her engine. The mice jumped form Balto's head and onto her bike. "Maybe I'll see you around?"

"Sure, absolutely!"

The princess nodded and drove away, leaving Keith to rethink what he had just said. "What am I saying? What am I thinking? Was I even thinking?" he sighed in exhaustion, tracing his hand through his hair and looking down at Balto. "Come on, boy. Let's go home."

(~)

He panted, gripping his ribcage, which was still glowing an eerie purple. His heart was racing but he could also feel himself slowing down. He held onto the small object in his palm tightly. He fall to his knees again, hearing the clanging sound of metal when he hit the ground. His companion grunted as he flung his arm over his shoulder, helping his companion hallway.

"Come on, Shiro. We're almost there."

"Thanks, Matt." Shiro replied, sweat dripping from his nose and brows. They made a turn, only to see more of the droids blocking their way. Shiro's eyes narrowed, his jaw clenched as he pulled out a plasma gun, shooting each of the droids one by one, and they shot back at them. Matt took out his shield and protected him and his companion. They worked together to hurry towards a couple of huge metallic doors. Shiro pulled out the remains of a droid's arm and pressed the palm onto the hand scanner. The doors slid open, revealing a strange looking ship in front of them. Matt quickly closed the door and Shiro approached the ship. From his palm, glowed, engulfing the room in a radiant white light.

(~)

After having fixed up his shack, Lance, Hunk and Pidge arrived latter that night to play video games and watch movies with Keith. The four friends were playing a space chase game, where four players could play against one another. Hunk against Pidge and Lance against Keith. The four friends were laughing and playfully taunting the other while their ships raced against the other. Pidge managed to hit Hunk's ship, causing him to lose his last remaining life. He hung his head in dismay, while Pidge did a victory dance.

Keith, as always, managed to beat Lance with ease, even during the rest of the game the half Galra boy kept a straight face. Lance wined like a child. "Aww, not again!"

"Sorry, Lance." Keith said, though he really didn't mean it. "Better luck next time."

"Yeah, no. I'm done with this game." Lance tossed his controller over his shoulder, stood up and headed towards the kitchen. I'm gonna get myself a soda." he said.

"Best two out of three!" Hunk said to Pidge.

"You're on!"

Keith decided he too wanted to get a drink and followed Lance into the kitchen. The tan skinned boy took one can from the fridge while Keith instead picked one of the warm ones from under the sink. He preferred his drinks warm anyway.

In all honesty, Keith found it a miracle that he was able to focus on the game for so long, because at the back of his mind, he couldn't stop thinking about what happened with Allura. He had seen her before, and he had met a few girls, but never once did he feel this kind of warm sensation. He knew the only other person who knew about this kind of stuff was Lance, the self proclaimed ladies man himself. Keith wanted to slap himself. The idea of him asking Lance for advice on how to deal with girls, or rather how one made him feel, was so humiliating. But he had to know if he really was, if it were possible, developing some kind of attraction towards the Altean princess. And if so, how could he get rid of it? There was no way he should allow himself to ever peruse an Altean, especially given his heritage.

He took a deep breath. Here goes nothing.

"Hey, Lance. Can I ask you something?"

"Sure thing, buddy." Lance said, taking another sip of his coke.

"What was it like when you…" he hesitated for a moment, "…first talked to a girl?"

Lance immediately spit out his drink, coughing roughly. He patted his chest to try and recollect his thoughts. "I'm sorry, what was that?"

"You know what, never mind." Keith quickly turned around, trying to change the subject, "Let's just get back to the game." he said, only to be stopped when Lance blocked his path.

"Did you just…ask me about girls?"

"I said forget it!"

"Did something happen?"

"Nothing happened!"

"Did you meet someone?"

"No, there's no one-I mean-nothing to talk about!"

The tan skinned boy gasped, "You did! You did meet somebody! You keep trying to avoid the question after bringing it up, denial is the clincher!" Lance was practically dancing in place, having the same reaction as a mother would when her daughter was asked out for the first time. "Oh, I knew this day would come! Hey, Pidge, Hunk, you'll never believe this!"

"Lance, don't you dare!" Keith lunched forward and tackled the boy. The two wrestled on the old wooden floor, with Keith trying to silence Lance, and Lance trying desperately to break free of his half alien friend's grip. Keith managed to cover Lance's mouth, only to immediately reeled back when he literally licked his hand. Keith cried out in disgust and Lance was able to break free.

"Keith met a girl!" Lance finally said. Keith groaned in defeat, hitting the floor with his fist. He had never regretted anything more in his entire life.

"What?" Hunk asked in disbelief.

"Seriously?" Pidge asked, "Like, a girl, girl? Like, your age?"

"And she didn't run away screaming?" Hunk asked, only to receive an elbow to the gut from Pidge. "Ow!"

"It's nothing." Keith said, standing back up. "Can we please just drop it already?"

"Not way!" Pidge said, placing her controller down. "Come on, give us some details!"

"There are no details." Keith said sternly, but Pidge was already bombarding him with questions.

"Was she nice? Was she smart? Does she study at the Garrison? Do we know her?"

"What did you say when she said hello?" Hunk asked, "Knowing you, she probably said 'hi' first."

"Guys, guys, I think we're forgetting the most important question here." Lance said, "How cute was she? On a scale of one to ten?"

Keith face palmed himself. "Me and my big mouth."

"Did you really meet a girl?" Hunk asked before turning to Lance, "Are you sure he said girl?"

"I didn't really meet her I just crashed into her on my bike by accident!" Keith exclaimed, finally having lost his patience with all of these questions. "We talked for a while and then she went back home, end of story!"

Hunk gasped, covering his mouth. "You talked? Like, for a long period of time? With someone who wasn't us?"

Keith groaned again. "Yes." he said, turning away from them, crossing his arms. "We talked. And, walked." he confessed. He figured his friends would never leave him alone unless he came clean. Besides, it's not like anyone else would know about this but them.

"Walked?" Pidge asked.

"After we crashed…I sprained my wrist, she patched it up and she offered…to walk me home." Keith bit his bottom lip, worried of what the others would say.

Both Hunk and Pidge smiled, "Awwwww!" they said in unison.

"Wait, she patched up your wrist?" Lance asked, his once excited expression shifting to one of concern. "Does that mean…did she know you were-?"

"Half Galra? Yeah, she knew. I, actually met her once before. The day Shiro left."

It was then, the three friends placed the pieces together. They knew of that day, and they knew of who Keith was talking about. "Keith.." Hunk began, "You better not be talking about who I think you're talking about."

Keith finally turned to look at them. The regretful look on his face said it all for them. Hunk's jaw dropped, as did Lance's. Pidge was the only one who was smiling.

"Are you serious?!" Lance exclaimed, not at all happy with this discovery. "You-you-you finally get the chance to talk to a girl and you just had to pick the princess?!"

"I didn't "pick" her, it just happened!"

"You're lucky nobody else will find out! If the king ever heard that you had a rondevu with his daughter he'd hunt you down like a coyote on a rabbit! No offense, Balto." he said to the pup, who only tilted his head.

"It wasn't a rondevu, whatever that is, we just talked and that's it. There's nothing going on, and even if there was I'm not stupid to just let that kind of thing happen! I'm not accepted by anyone else around here, why would the royal family be any different?"

The room fell into silence, until a strange light suddenly came from outside. The entire group turned to the window to see something falling from the sky at incredible speed. "What is that?" Keith asked.

"Oh, no. Do you think it's the Galra?" Hunk trembled in fear.

"You think it's a ship?" Pidge asked, pulling her binoculars from her backpack to see what it was. "Whoa! I've never seen anything like it!"

Lance pulled her binoculars from her hands and got a better look. "Holly cow! I can't believe what I'm seeing, that is not one of ours!"

Keith took the binoculars next and his eyes widened at the sight. Whatever was falling down wasn't really a ship. It appeared to be some kind of…

Robotic lion.

Once the object landed, a large beam of light expanded. The teens shielded their eyes until the light diminished. Keith was the first out the door, his friends following close behind. There was no doubt that something like this had to be investigated. Hunk was the last one to exit, resulting in Keith needing to return back and pull the larger boy out of the shack.

Keith rode on his bike, Pidge sitting behind him, while Hunk rode with Lance. They stopped on top of a hill, overlooking the wreckage. Already, the Garrison scientists and pilots surrounded the object, which had landed on a crater created by the impact. "What's going on, Pidge?" Keith asked.

The young girl looked down at the activity down bellow, zooming in on the mechanical lion. "I see something. Looks like someone was flying that thing." she suddenly became silent. "Oh, no…"

"Pidge, what is it?"

"I…I don't…" she couldn't even mouth the words.

Keith took the binoculars and looked for himself. He now understood why Pidge was suddenly chocked up. Indeed, people had been inside the robotic lion. One was a familiar redheaded young man, who bared a strong resemblance to Pidge. He helped another pilot exit the lion. A much taller looking man, with a familiar patch of white and black hair. His skin was sickly pale, and he clenched his ribcage. He walked as if he would collapse upon taking the next step. Keith's entire body froze, his hands trembled upon seeing the face of the only family he had left.

"Shiro?"

(~)


	4. Chapter 4

(~)

The sound of wailing sirens alerted everyone in the Garrison. Officers, professors, scientists, professional pilots all rushed towards the crash site. Allura had been reading peacefully in her room until she heard the large explosion. The royal guards rushed over to make sure she was alright, but Allura was more concerned about her father. Thankfully, King Alfor was safe, but the castle was already on high alert after the king received a phone call from the Garrison.

"Father, what happened?" Allura asked, her voice trembling. "Was it a Galra attack? Have they come for us?"

"No." the king replied, his voice low. His back turned to her, his head dropped. "It's not the Galra." he finally turned his head to face his only child. The look on remorse in his face indicated that this was not a Galra attack…but something just as tragic.

(~)

The large mechanical lion was towed away by the Altean Military. The machine has very little to now physical damage. The surface was smudged with dirt from the ground, but overall it remained perfectly in tact. Once Keith and the others approached the wreckage, Keith stumbled, his eyes meeting that of the dim yellow orbs of the lion. He payed very little attention to it, his focus dead set on his older brother. Both he and Pidge roughly made their way across the large crowd. Lights of red and blue flashed and an ambulance was parked nearby.

Pidge spotted the orange haired young man who had been inside the lion. Tears filled her eyes she ran towards him, wrapping her arms around his torso. "Matt!"

"Katie!" her older brother, Matt, wrapped his arms around his younger sister's waist, shedding tears of his own. His face had a few scars, but nothing too severe. His pilot uniform was gone, having been replaced with ragged purple clothing. All in all, he was in one piece.

"What happened?" Pidge asked, wiping away her tears. "How did you get here?"

"It's a long story." Matta explained, "Our ship was ambushed by a Galra fleet and we've been held prisoner. I don't know how long we've been there, maybe a week or a month. I don't know what happened to the rest of our crew."

Pidge hugged her brother once more. "I'm just happy you're home. Wait, what about Shiro?"

Matt was silent for a moment.

With Hunk and Lance's help, Keith finally found his brother, being hoisted up onto a gurney and into the back of the ambulance. "Shiro!" he called out, completely ignoring the doctors. It was worse than he feared. Shiro was silky pale, his dark blue eyes were nearly lifeless but filled with hesitant tears that made them appear like a rippling pool. It was hard for him to see. His face was scarred, one ran across the bridge of his nose. On his ribcage was a glowing wound. Three scratches had pierced through his skin it sent shivers up and down Keith's spine. He could hardly breath.

Shiro groaned, wincing in pain, his breathing short and fast. He looked into the face of his younger brother. A soft smile formed across his lips as Keith gripped his older brother's hand tightly.

"You're gonna be okay, Shiro. Hang in there."

"K-Keith." he muttered with great struggle. "T-the lion."

"Don't talk, just rest. You'll be okay." Keith reluctantly let go of his brother's hand once he was placed inside the back of the ambulance truck. The doctors closed the door, one turning to look at Keith. His carried carried both regret, but also a bit of fear. He turned away and proceeded to drive the truck to the hospital.

(~)

It didn't take long for Shiro to be placed in the ICU, where countless doctors worked on his injury. Keith, Lance, Hunk and Pidge sat in the waiting area with their friend. Keith sat with his back hunched, his hand clenching onto the dagger in his hand. Nobody said a word. They didn't know what to say. Shiro had returned home, but he was severely injured and, according to Matt, Shiro had been injured not too recently. He was strong enough to fight the pain, but at this point anything could happen.

That was what terrified Keith the most.

Lance was the first to place a hand on Keith's shoulder. "It's gonna be okay. Shiro will be fine." he said. He tried his best to remain optimistic, though just like Keith he too was worried about being wrong. Saying things will be fine was easy…actually believing it was the difficult part.

The hospital doors bursted open, and King Alfor rushed inside. Allura was right beside him. She and Keith locked eyes for a split second before diverting their attention to the doctor who had just exited from the ICU. Removing his mask the king quickly addressed to him.

"How is he, doctor?" King Alfor asked.

The doctor sighed, his shoulder dropping. "His wounds were…very deep. He lost a lot of blood."

"No!" Keithe exclaimed, his emotions already bubbling up to the surface. All eyes were on him, even the other guests in the waiting room. He reeled back, not wanting to cause a scene or frighten anyone. At the corner of his eye, he was a mother trying to inconspicuously shield her child.

The doctor remained calm in Keith's presence. "He asked to see you."

Keith did not hesitate to follow the doctor into the room. He turned to face his friends, who encouraged him to go. When Keith entered the room he wanted so badly to believe it was all a bad dream and that he would wake up soon enough. His brother, who was also the ideal image of bravery and resilience was laying on a hospital bed, helpless and weak. His wound was patched up, but his breathing was very slow. His skin appeared even paler than before. He wore an oxygen mask, with several wired attached to his chest, connected to a machine that ratted his heart. The beeping took its time, one after another, a sure sign that was was growing weak.

Keith didn't even turn when the doctor left the room, giving the two brothers a moment to reconcile after so long. The younger brother stood there, looking down at his brother. The only family he had left. The dam broke and tears spilled from his eyes. He didn't think Shiro could hear him. The beeping of the machine became slower and slower, until for a moment the beeping speeded up, albeit slightly.

Shiro's eyes squinted, opening slowly. With his remaining strength, Shiro removed the oxygen mask, taking in the cool air that came in from the vents.

"Shiro, what you doing?" Keith asked, "You need to rest."

"Keith…" Shiro spoke, his voice was week Keith could barely hear. He leaned in closer, seeing the pain in his brother's eyes as he struggled to speak, but willed himself to do so. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I left."

"No, it's no your fault. You were trying to help people."

"Still, I never should have left you alone. I thought I could help make the universe safe for everyone. To help bring a better future for you. For your family."

"You're the only family I have, Shiro."

The older brother managed a soft chuckle, "Come on. You'd have found someone eventually. Good looks are a blessing and a curse on our family."

Despite his tears, Keith too laughed at Shiro's light hearted joke. Typical of his brother to always want to lighten the mood in these kind of situations, and Keith knew why. Shiro, more than anything, just wanted what was best for Keith. For his little brother to find happiness. Shiro was always so selfless and fearless, even now when he was clinging into his life, he was placing Keith's happiness above his own. Keith knew he could never live up to Shiro even if he tried.

Shiro managed to lift up his hand, tightly gripping Keith's. "Listen to me. When my crew was taken…I found something. Something that wasn stop Zarkon. For good. To finally end this war." Shiro winced in pain once more.

"Don't talk anymore." Keith said, his voice trembling with fear. "You need to rest."

"No, Keith. You have to go."

"Not now. I can't."

"You have to. Find that red lion. Go to it. And when you do…show him this." Shiro lifted his free hand, which had been clenched into a fist the entire time. Opening his palm to reveal a pure white opal stone, with tiny specs of various colors dancing in correspondence with the light from the room. Keith stared at it in confusion.

"It will show you where you need to go."

"Go? Go where?"

Shiro winced again, "To find Voltron."

"Voltron?" Keith repeated, "What are you talking about?"

"I know it's hard to understand, but when you get to the lion you will." Shiro's voice became stronger, more demanding but still soft and caring all at once. "The lion…it said Voltron is the key to stopping Zarkon. It has…more power than anything he can imagine."

Keith shook his head. Shiro must have also hit his head during the landing. He was speaking nonsense. Shiro released Keith's hand, placing it instead on the left side of his face, a gesture his mother used to do for both of them when they were young. For a moment, it was just like having her here again with them. "I know you're scared. It's okay. But you have to believe me. I've already done my part. I found the lion. Now, the rest is up to you."

Shiro took Keith's hand, placing the stone in his palm, closing it into a fist. Keith could feel the stone's warmth within his closed hand. The beeping slowed once more, and Shiro's hand dropped. He was still berating, but it was dangerously slower than before. Keith shook his head.

"Shiro? Shiro, no!" he pleaded, while sobbing. "Please…please don't leave me."

The older brother wiped his brother's tears with his thumb, shedding a few himself. "There is nowhere you could go that I won't be with you."

Keith's vision blurred. He could hardly see his brother. The beeping came to a slow stop, the hand that was once on Keith's cheek slid down before dropping to the side of the bed. Shiro's eyes were closed, his mouth opened slightly, a single tear streaks down from his eye. Keith let out a powerful cry in agony, dropping to his knees, burying his face onto his brother's chest, sobbing uncontrollably. The stone still clenched in his fist.

The couldn't be happening. This couldn't be real. He refused to believe Shiro was really gone. The innocent child within him wanted to believe his brother would jump up and scream "gotcha!" just like he used to when they were kids. But, the sad reality was undeniable.

Keith didn't even put up a struggle when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up, wiping his eyes with his sleeve to see Lance towering over him. Tears filled his eyes as well. Hunk and Pidge had arrived as well. Keith didn't stop crying, and he wasn't sure if he would stop or when. His friends didn't say a word, but wrapped their arms around the heartbroken boy.

Keith had never felt more vulnerable, alone and lost in his entire life.

(~)

Even the skies of the planet seemed to weep alongside the townsfolk. King Alfor held a ceremony for the fallen hero. Shiro was well beloved by many at the Garrison, and was a dear friend to the king. Shiro was buried alongside many of the fallen heroes who gave their lives in the battlefield. The tears of everyone were blended with the raindrops that fell from the sky. But Keith, originally, hardly shed any. He had used up all of his tears when he saw Shiro pass away right in front of him. Now, his face was apparently frozen in a state of grief, anguish and emptiness. Nobody dared to say anything to him, only his friends were brave enough to approach him. From afar, they said their condolences, a few people did manage to bravely walk up to Keith, sincerely wishing him the best after this ordeal. But Keith saw their words as nothing more than obligatory sympathy. They treated him like an outsider, and now that his only family was gone they felt the need to treat him like one of their own. That didn't mean they actually liked him. If anything, they were doing this for Shiro, not because they wanted Keith to feel he wasn't alone, because even after they said them they still left. His only friends were the ones who remained.

King Alfor approached him. The man was tall and intimidating in Keith's presence. He didn't know what to say to him. HIs expression partly softened when Alfor looked down at him. His own eyes also softened. He rose one hand, as if to place it on Keith's shoulder. He hesitated for a moment, almost as if he had just seen a ghost. Keith wondered if, for a moment, the king was hit with any flashbacks of his time fighting the Galra, and staring at Keith's purplish eyes had trigged said memory. Still, King Alfor did place a hand on Keith's shoulder. Silently wishing him the best before leaving.

Allura had been standing behind her father. Her hair was styled into a sophisticated up-do. She faced Keith, the two standing there in silence. The young boy's eyes widened partly when the princess lunged forward, placing her hands on his shoulders, resting her head on his neck. Tear fell from her eyes and he could hear her sobbing. He was hesitant at first but proceeded to place his hands on her back and shoulder, hugging her back.

"I'm so sorry." she said. "I know there's nothing I can say that can make things better. But just so you know, I'm here for you. You will always have a friend at the castle."

"Thank you." Keith replied. His voice came off as a bit dry and almost emotionless, but Allura could pick up on the sincerity behind his words.

Once the hug ended, Allura was led back by Coran to her father's car. Lance patted him on the back. "You want to stay a while?"

"Yeah." Keith replied. Lance respected his wishes and left alongside Hunk and Pidge. The young half-Galra stood before his brother's tomb stone, getting soaked by the rain. Once everyone was gone he dropped to his knees, pressing his forehead against the stone, one hand pressed on the surface, letting the rain soak him to the bone.

(~)

Back in his shack, Keith sat on his couch, looking down at the stone in his palm. Balto rested beside him, the furry creature warming his body after getting wet in the rain. Shiro's words echoed in Keith's mind.

 _"Find that red lion. Go to it."…."Find Voltron."_

Who, or what, was Voltron? How come he had never heard of it? Why was this one stone so important? The more Keith thought about it, the more he noticed that the stone seemed to emit a faint, iridescent light. The light intensified and, before he knew it, Keith was engulfed in a shinning bright light.

He opened his eyes, noticing that he was no longer standing in his shack, but in the vast void of space. He could breath normally, and was standing over nothingness. He heard what sounded like a faint roar coming from behind him. Keith spun around and gasped to see a colossal robotic lion before him. It bared a strong resemblance to the lion Shiro had landed with, but this one was even bigger in scale. The surface consisted of silver, yellow, red and black coloring, and it appeared to have some massive mechanical wings on its back. Keith's feet were frozen in place as the creature lowered its head to face him. Its golden eyes starring into his own. Into his very soul. Keith boldly approached the giant mechanical cat, placing its hand over its nose. The vision shifted and Keith say streams of colors; red, yellow, blue, green and purple, flying up into the sky before colliding with one another. Another ray of light appeared and the last thing Keith saw was the silvery face of a warrior with the same golden eyes as the lion, now being worn as a helmet on his head.

The images stopped, Keith catapulted from the sofa, sweating and panting. Balto whimpered in concern. Was that…was that what Shiro was talking about? He looked down at the stone, the glow fading, but it still felt warm in his hand.

"It's real." he whispered to himself. Shiro was telling the truth, he was certain of it now. If there really was a way to defeat Zarkon and finally usher in a new era of peace and prosperity for the Galaxy, and if Shiro was so determined to find this weapon, then Keith would finish what his brother started. This was his dying wish. A wish Keith vowed to complete.

(~)

The mechanical red lion was placed inside a room, where the King, Coran and Allura could observe from above via a glass window. Various scientists surrounded the thing, trying to figure out what it was. Coran tampered with the controls, scanning the interior and exterior of the lion-like ship.

"Coran, what is the status?" Alfor asked.

"This is incredible." said the royal advisor, "According to these scans this, this lion, is made from ancient Altean technology. But, we haven't used these in decades. It's more ancient than my my great-great aunt Corinda. And that lady can still send a yahlmor all the way to the third moon of Marigold with her frying pan in one swing!"

"How is that possible?" The king asked.

"Well they do say eating healthy and staying active is the key to a long lived life."

"I meant about the lion."

"Oh, right, of course!" Coran tamped with the control panel once more to try and figure out what exactly this creature was, and where it came from.

"If it's Altean technology then why was it somewhere in space?" Allura asked.

"Perhaps it was built by the Galra." King Alfor theorized, "They are known for using the technology of other planets to build their weaponry."

"I'm not finding any trace of Galra tech anywhere on here." Coran said, until the schematics suddenly shifted. "Okay, that's strange."

"What is it?"

"I've never seen anything like this. I'm detecting like…I don't know, it's…it's almost like a heartbeat of some kind. And I don't mean like an artificial heart, I mean an organic one. But, that's scientifically impossible!"

Allura stepped closer to the glass, her eyes locked on the mechanical beast. She pressed her hand onto the surface, when all of a sudden the mechanical red lion's eyes glowed a bright yellow. Its limbs started to move, miraculously, on their own, and around its body appeared neon blue lights, identical to the ones around the Altean castle and their various machines. The lion looked down at the scientists and roared furiously. It was so powerful it shook the very walls of the lab. Allura held into her father for protection while Coran kept his balance stead by gripping the panel. Scientists began to scatter and scream when the lion suddenly started attacking. It stomped it mechanical claws hard on the ground, even taking one scientist into its mouth.

King Alfor pressed a button and laser guns emerged from the walls, shooting at the beast, prompting him to release the scientist. The doors slid open and the men hurried out. But the robotic lion was still frantic. It ran, it clawed, it collided its body with the wall with crushing force. It was like having an actual wild lion in a cluttered habitat.

"Whatever that thing is, it's dangerous!" King Alfor concluded. "Coran, see if you can shut it down!"

"On it, your Majesty!" Coran pulled a lever and electrical currents coursed through the room, hitting the creature. The lion roared in pain. A pain, Allura, amazingly felt empathy towards. She watched as the beast slowly stopped, the currents short circuiting it. However, rather than shut it off, the beast appeared to have only gotten angrier. It roared once more, everyone else covering their ears in responce. The lion then leaped onto where the glass was, its claw sinking into the wall, which pierced through the other wide where the king, his daughter and advisor were. Alfor and Coran backed away, but Allura did not.

She looked into the lion's eyes. She saw something within them. Something…alive. As the creature looked at the princess, it stopped. It calmed for a moment until her father pulled her back. The lion reacted and started attacking the wall. Allura's instincts kicked in. She forcibly removed herself from her father's protective grip and rushed towards the door that led to the room where the lion was.

"Allura, get back here!" Alfor demanded, but his daughter disobeyed him.

The princess flung the door open, now standing in the same nearly destroyed room as the red lion. She walked closer towards it, and much to Coran and the King's wonder, the beast ceased its rampage. Allura walked closer, the beast stood in place. It lowered its head, its yellow eyes locked with her blue ones. Allura felt no trace of fear, or doubt when in front of the lion. It was temperamental, yes, but she saw it more as a frightened creature far away from home. Once she was within arm's length, Allura placed her palm on his nose. She could have sworn she heard the beast purr like an affectionate feline. Then, ever so slowly, his mouth started to open. Allura could see that its mouth was the entrance to the inside. Indeed, the creature doubled as a ship.

However, King Alfor misread the creature's actions and rushed inside. Once his mouth was wide enough, Allura was tempted to take a step forward, only to be pulled back by her father. "Hey! No, father, stop!"

The beast's rage returned. It roared and King Alfor dragged Allura back from the room, leaving the beast to revert to its feral state. Allura angrily ripped her father's arm off of her own. "Father, why did you do that?!"

"That beast was about to kill you!"

"No he wasn't! He's not dangerous, he's just frightened!"

"You're speaking nonsense. That thing is not some pet, it's a machine! And an infected one at that!"

"You heard what Coran said. Somehow, that lion is alive. It could sense it. He's alive, father. Please, let me go back. I can calm him down!"

"That's enough!" Alfor shouted in anger. Allura reeled back. Hearing the king's anger made the beast roar in responce. The king dragged his daughter away from the door, away from the creature. His eyes filled with rage, but also terror. Allura didn't know what else to say in this current state. She looked back at the lion from the glass window. She rose one hand, a gesture to reassure she was alright. Allura took in slow deep breaths. The room was silent, the beast finally ceased. King Alfor clenched his fists, staring directly at his daughter.

He turned to Coran, "Put that thing on the next ship to Vector 87. That thing is to be demolished immediately."

"What?!" Allura exclaimed, "Father, you can't-"

" _ **Not another word!**_ " the king yelled, even more ferociously than the lion itself, who let out an angry growl. His jaw clenched. "Go to your room." he ordered softly before leaving. His cape billowing behind him.

Coran was silent, unsure on what else to say. Allura simply stood there, looking at the now closed doors. A look of raw determination now edged on her face.

(~)

With the last of his belongings in his bag, Keith took the stone from the table beside him and then pulled out his dagger. The blade was slick, silver and polished of fine craftsmanship. One one side was a rounded stone, purple in color with a vibrant glow to it. The other side once had a similar tone, one which contained the symbol of the Galra. That stone has long been disposed of, leaving a now empty slot. He studied the white stone in his hand and placed it in the empty slot. Amazingly, it fit perfectly. For extra safety, he wrapped a torn piece of cloth around the stones to hide them from plain sight. With the dagger in his back pocket, and his backpack he prepared to leave.

Balto stopped him by pulling on his boot. Keith squatted down, petting the furry creature's head. At first, he thought about leaving the little one here in the shack. But, after what happened with Shiro, he didn't want to bid goodbye to anyone else. With the pup beside him, Keith rode on his bike all the way towards the Garrison.

(~)

Hunk wore headphones to block out Lance's horrid pop music. He laid on his bed, watching television on his techpad, while Lance was in the bathroom, singing along to the music. A tap on the window got Hunk's attention and he literally jumped in fear at the sight of someone outside their dorm room. Once the mysterious person removed the bandana that was over his mouth Hunk blinked in confusion.

"Keith? What are you doing here? You know you're not allowed near the dorm rooms." Hunk asked, opening the window, allowing him to jump in, landing on his feet in a crunching position before standing up.

"Do you know where they're taking that lion?" Keith asked, not wasting any time getting down to business.

"The giant mechanical one Shiro and Matt crash landed with? I think they have it in the base where they keep all of our military equipment, but that's all I know. Why?"

The bathroom door slid open and Lance walked out, his face covered in some kind of cream, a towel around his head and wearing a bathrobe. He was humming his song but then screamed in shock once he saw Keith has unexpectedly arrived.

"Keith!? Come on man, didn't anybody tell you to knock before you enter a room?! Wait, what are you doing here? If the Commander catches you here you're dead!"

"I know, that's why I came in through the window." Keith stated, "I need your help."

"Couldn't it wait until morning?" Lance asked.

"No. I need to get that red lion and I need you guys and Pidge to help me break in to get it."

Lance and Hunk blinked. "Did you say, break in?"

"Yeah."

"To get a giant red robot lion." Lance repeated.

"Yes."

"Why?"

Keith pulled out his dagger and unveiled the white stone. Lance and Hunk's jaws dropped. "Ooooh, sparkly!" Hunk said, his brown eyes shimmering.

"Where did you get that?" Lance asked.

"Shiro gave it to me. He said it will show me the way to Voltron."

"Vol-what?"

"Voltron. He said it's a weapon that can defeat Zarkon for good and end this war. Somehow, this stone is the key to locating it. I think this is what Shiro found which led him to the red lion."

"Keith, I know this is hard right now, the guy was on his deathbed." Hunk said sadly, "We was probably delirious."

"No, it's real! Just touch the stone, you'll know I'm telling the truth."

Lance and Hunk hesitated. Lance more so. Still, the larger young man placed his hand on the surface of the stone. Lance sighed and did the same. Once they did, before their eyes they saw the same colors Keith did, zooming across the sky before revealing the face of the silver warrior with a lion's head for a helmet.

The two reeled back, gasping in shock. "Did…did you just see that?" Lance asked.

"I did." Hunk replied. He looked back at the stone and created a cross sign with his two index fingers. "Witchcraft! Get thee behind me!"

"Is it magic?" Lance asked.

"I don't know for sure." Keith said, looking at the stone. A look of determination dawned on his face. "But I do know that Shiro wouldn't have sacrificed himself to keep this safe. He fought his whole life for a way to end this war. I won't let his sacrifice go in vein."

"You really think this Voltron thing can stop Zarkon and end a war that has been going on for ten thousand years overnight?" Lance asked.

"Maybe, maybe not. But I'm going to find out. First, I need to get to that red lion. Will you guys help me or not?"

Hunk and Lance looked at one another, pondering on wether or not they should. Keith was their best friend, but to break into a military base to steal a robotic lion? It was insane, and no doubt would get them expelled. Still, what they saw from that stone, it felt real. And if Shiro really did sacrifice himself just to make sure this stone would find itself in the right hands, then they should honor his sacrifice and service. Shiro was very much a brother to them as he was to Keith.

Lance sighed, "Hunk, call Pidge. Looks we're breaking out a lion."

Keith smiled in gratitude, "Thanks, Lance. I'd hug but…I don't feel comfortable doing that right now." he said, cringing in disgust.

"Maybe next time you'll break into a dorm room _after_ I'm done exfoliating!"

(~)

 **I would like to give a shout out to RUHLSAR000 AKA Bob Fluffkiller for your very sweet review. Also, I would wish to apologize if I made anyone tear up in this chapter. HOWEVER, you will be happy to know that this is NOT the last we will see of Shiro in this fanfic. Don't get me wrong, I like Shiro, but the focus of this story is Keith and his personal journey, and it's my remaining of the series in a more movie-like format.**

 **Btw, just to remind everyone, the plot of this fic is influenced by the plot of Moana, so if you notice some similarities, know those are intentional.**

 **Until next time, God bless *kiss kiss***


	5. Chapter 5

(~)

Guards were posted outside the Garrison Military base, with laser guns in hand. The sound of a ragging alarm caught both of their attention and the two men rushed towards the sound, along with several others. Hiding behind the building where the four friends. Once they were gone, the four of them snuck to the front entrance. The only way in was via a scanner with a code. Pidge connected her techpad's cord to the scanner, using her hacking skills to unlock the metallic doors, which clid open. She smiled in satisfaction.

"Good work, Pidge." Keith said, ruffling her hair, much to her annoyance.

"We better hurry and get that lion." Pidge said, "That siren decoy won't keep them busy for long."

The four of them snuck into the base. Thankfully, there was nobody else inside. Hunk couldn't stop trembling. This whole idea was a huge mistake. Pidge constantly had to remind him to be silent, shushing him around every turn to the point where she just resulted into slapping his hand just to shut him up.

Keith kept the blade in his hand. The white stone gave a soft glow from underneath the bindings. He heard a soft growling sound, almost like a purr. "Did you guys hear that?" he asked, whispering.

"Hear what?" Lance whispered back.

"I didn't hear anything." Hunk said.

"All I hear is your teeth chattering." Pidge said in annoyance.

"I can't help it, I'm really scared right now."

"What else is new?"

"Guys, quit it!" Keith exclaimed, speaking in a hushed tone through his teeth. Suddenly, they heard the found of a door sliding open, followed by footsteps echoing in the the base. Keith led the others to behind a ship, crunching down with him looking out for whoever had entered.

His face was focused, but it quickly melted into a look of surprise, and even slight relief, when he saw a familiar tall, dark skinned woman with long flowing silver hair. The Altean princess wore a more casual version of her daily gown. Rather than a long white, pink and blue skirt, she instead wore a smaller version, exposing a pair of dark blue pants and long knee high white boots with gold outlines. Her long cape had been replaced with a shorter one. Allura looked around the area, seemingly making sure that nobody else was around.

Once certain, she walked closer to the ship where Keith and the others were hiding behind. Allura hoisted herself to the side of the wing, pressing her ear close to the side, almost as if she were trying to hear something from inside.

"Allura, what are you doing?" Keith asked, revealing himself by stepping out of his hiding spot, startling Allura. The princess lost her balance and fell back from where she stood, landing in Keith's arms. It happened rather quickly but it didn't take long for Keith to notice he was carrying her bridal-style. The two locked eyes for a few seconds before Allura flipped over him, landing on her feet. Hands behind her back, and one leg partly bended, her cheeks tainted with red.

"Oh, well, I might as you the same thing." she replied. Now it was Keith's turn to get flustered.

"Nothing. Just walking…late at night…near the ships."

"Inside the Garrison Military based with your entire entourage?" Allura asked, leaning forward, looking right behind Keith, immediately spotting Lance, Hunk and Pidge. Hunk was covering his mouth, while Lance was trying to remain as still as possible. Pidge, on the other hand, remained perfectly calm.

"If we don't move she can't see us." Lance whispered through his teeth.

"I'm standing right here." Allura said with a deadpan expression.

"It's okay, Lance, she's not gonna bite." Keith said, Balto ran up to Allura, happily wagging his tail. The three friends made themselves known, and Keith introduced them one by one. "Allura, these are my friends. Lance, Hunk and Pidge."

Hunk immediately walked up to the princess, got down on his knees and bowed his head, begging for mercy. "Your Majesty, please have mercy on us! I gravel at your feet! Is it gravel, or grovel? I always get those two mixed up."

Allura smiled warmly, bending her knees a bit, placing her hands upon them. "It's alright, I'm not going to rat you out."

Hunk sighed in relief. "Oh, thank goodness, because I would _not_ do well in prison. I hear the food is un-edible."

"It's lovely to meet you, Hunk, and I really like your haircut, Pidge."

"Thank you. Actually, my name is Katie, but everyone calls me Pidge." the shorter girl replied, shaking Allura's hand. "But Keith is right, what are you doing here?"

"I'm looking for the red lion that crashed here yesterday." she replied without hesitation. "My father plans on sending it to Vector 87 to be demolished."

"What? We can't let that happen!" Keith exclaimed.

"I know, that's why I-Wait, why?"Allura rose a brow. "Why are you suddenly so interested in the lion?"

Lance slid to her side, eying her suspiciously. "I think the better question is, why are _you_ so interested in it?" he asked, pointing an accusing finger at her.

Allura looked back at Keith, "I know this may sound crazy but, I think that lion is…alive, somehow. It's not just some machine. I tried to convince my father but he's being stubborn."

Lance blinked in confusion. "Oooookaaaaayyyy." he slide over to Keith, whispering, "I think her tiara is on a little too tight."

"I'm still standing right here." Allura said, once again with a deadpan expression.

Keith ignored Lance and pulled out the dagger, unfolding the binds. "We're looking for the lion because of this." he showed Allura the white stone on his dagger. The princess gasped.

"Where did you find that?"

"It was from my brother." Keith replied, his eyes downcast for a moment before explaining. "He told me that once I found the lion I could to use this stone to find Voltron."

"Voltron?" Allura asked.

"It's supposed to be some kind of weapon. A weapon that can defeat Zarkon and finally end this war once and for all."

"That's aiming a bit high, isn't it?"

"That's what I said!" Lance exclaimed, only to be silenced when Keith placed his hand over his mouth.

"You sure that's what your brother told you, Keith? Can this "Voltron" really defeat Zarkon?" Allura asked. The idealistic side of herself deeply wanted to believe that such a thing was possible, even if all matter of logic said otherwise.

"I don't know for sure." Keith replied, his eyes narrowing in determination, "But I do know is that Shiro fought to protect this stone and that lion. He wouldn't have placed himself in such danger for something unless he knew it was important."

"He's right, Princess." Pidge said, "My brother told me how Shiro stole that stone from a Galra ship and how it led him to the red lion. Finding Voltron was all Shiro talked about before they crash landed."

Before Allura could reply, she heard the sound of purring. This time, it was louder and closer. "There it is again!"

"You heard it too?" Keith asked. The princess nodded, pointing her finger towards the ship they were standing right beside.

"It's coming from in here." she said, placing her hand on the surface of the ship's side. The purring was louder than before. "The red lion is in there."

The sound of opening doors caused the princess to gasp. The guards from before had returned, having discovered that the siren noise was really a digital recording Pidge had placed not too far away to distract them. Hunk immediately started to panic, as did Lance.

Allura quickly reached for the opening underneath the ship. Raising her hand, sparkles of blue orbs emitted from her finger tips, which reached the hatch. It opened and a staircase outstretched in an instant. Allura gestured the others to follow her inside.

"Come on, hurry!"

Keith didn't think twice before following her into the ship. Pidge, Lance and Balto soon followed afterwards. Hunk hesitated for a moment, but the sound of the guard approaching prompted him to follow and dash onto the ship as fast as he could. Once inside, Allura rushed to the control room, turning on the ship, which carried the red lion in its cargo hold.

"Wait, wait, wait, what is happening?" Hunk asked nervously once the princess took the driver's seat.

From the view window, they saw the guards already onto the children hijacking one of their ships. Allura grabbed the controls and forced the ship forward. The four friends fell backwards, landing on top of each other in the process. Balto had managed to keep his balance, and the four mice emerged from Allura's pockets. They scattered and greeted the pup happily.

"Princess, what are you doing?!" Lance exclaimed, his eyes widening in terror.

"Getting us out of here!" Allura replied, her attention dead set on getting the ship out of the base. The four friends panicked when they saw that the doors were closing fast.

"We're not gonna make it!" Hunk exclaimed, covering his eyes, "It's all over! We're all gonna die!"

The doors continued to close, but Allura kept on going. Even Keith was starting to have his doubts. "Uh, Allura?"

The princess pushed the controls forward, and the rockets flared with intense heat. In the nick of time, the ship had flown right out of the closing doors, without so much as a scratch. Lance, Pidge and Keith stared in agape. Hunk was still covering his eyes.

"Are we dead? Tell me if we're dead. We're dead aren't we?" he asked. He opened his eyes hesitantly and smiled in relief. "Oh, nope, we're fine. Wait, we're fine?"

"How does a princess know how to pilot a ship?!" Lance asked in shock.

Allura blushed, "I may have studied piloting behind my father's back…when I was bored."

Lance, his wide eyes and dropped jaw still locked on the princess, took Keith by the collar of his jacket and pulled him a few feet away, making sure she wouldn't hear him. "Okay, remember what I said about you liking the princess being a bad thing? I take it back."

The two friends nearly fell back again when the ship was suddenly hit by another ship that came up from behind them. The military was right on their tails now, and from the looks of it, they were seriously outnumbered.

"Oh, they do not look happy!" Hunk said, "Look, why don't we just give them the red lion and be done with it?"

"No!" Keith said, "We need it to find Voltron."

"Why? We have that white stone thingy, we could just use that! Come on, princess, you have to admit this is crazy. Uh, princess? Hello?"

Allura had suddenly become silent. In her head, she heard the sound of purring coming from inside the cargo hold. It was as if the lion itself was speaking to her in a language only she could understand. She finally snapped out of it and reverted her attention to the military ships behind them. The chase had led them towards the field, on the wide open desert lands of Altea, several miles away from the city.

"We can't give them the red lion!" Allura said with fierce determination. "It needs to be reunited with its brethren!"

"Its what?" Lance asked in disbelief. He looked out the window, seeing the ships drawing closer and closer. "Okay, if we're stealing this lion, fine, but can't you make this thing go any faster?!"

"Of course I can. Though, you'll might want to hold on, and I pray you haven't eaten anything heavy." Allura replied.

Lance tilted his head. "What the heck are you-GAH!"

Allura had leaned the ship to the left, causing the rest of the ships to follow, turning around tall stones. One of the ships collided with the stone, which in turn hit another ship.

"Oh, man! Mr. Harris just wiped out Professor Montgomery!" Hunk exclaimed. He squinted his eyes and pressed his forehead against the window. "Oh, no, no, he's fine."

"Is it over?" Pidge asked, already starting to feel nauseous. She felt the ship leaning right, and her hand reached her mouth, "No, no, it's not!"

Allura flew the ship towards a rocky desert terrain. Flying near the ground at top speed. She spun and turned left and right, narrowing missing large stone hills that rose upwards. The ships tried to catch up, but many either hit the mountains around them, or lost control in an effort to catch up to the princess.

Before long, all of the military ships had been out of commission, thanks to Allura's quick and slick flying skills. Lance, Hunk and Pidge were very unfortunate and had been been tossed left and right as the ship moved. Keith was the only one who managed to keep a firm grip on Allura's chair. Once they were certain they were in the clear, Allura turned her direction towards the sky. The entire ship seemed to vibrate as the sky drew in closer and closer. Hunk, Pidge and Lance were able to stand up again, albeit looking rather sickly, until they spotted where the princess was heading.

"Where are you taking us?!" Lance asked, already terrified, clinging onto the chair for his dear life. "Are we-are we going into space?!"

"Yep." Allura replied. A daring smile formed across her lips and she leaned forward. The ship flew straight out into the sky. The stars appeared to have been falling all around them, the ground behind them became smaller and smaller. While everyone else was terrified, minus Allura, Keith remained in awe.

This must have been how it was for Shiro during his first day as an official pilot. The accelerating sensation felt so raw and new, yet at the same time it felt so right. Like, this was exactly where he needed to be. He didn't feel fear. He felt…

Free.

Allura shared the same sentiment as Keith, even though she didn't say the words out loud. The terrified screams of Lance, Pidge and Hunk went mute in their ears. Before long, the ship had gone right though the stratosphere. The planet was right behind them, and before long, the ship was flying peacefully in space.

Allura took a moment to inhale and exhale deeply. Her eyes were wide in shock, drops of sweat dripping from her forehead, her heart was beating at an incredible rate. And yet, through it all, she felt a great satisfaction. An exhilarating feeling of wonder, joy and accomplishment. This entire time, she had been doing what the red lion had asked her to do. She followed it willingly, and now that she had a moment to really analyze what she had done, a sense of guilt started to shape shape from within her.

If her father discovered this there was no telling what he would do, or say. Still, the reality of where she was gladly overlapped any concerns she had.

Keith, while not having to deal with the guilt the princess was feeling, was more free to take in the miracle of what had just happened.

"Did you…?" he began, his eyes wide like that of a young boy going to a theme park for the first time.

Allura carried the exact same expression. "Uh, hu…" she nodded.

"And we're in…"

"Uh, hu…"

The two turned to look at one another. Silent for a brief moment before screaming with wild-hearted glee. Allura traced her hands through her silvery hair, her entire body was trembling. Keith couldn't even move his legs, but at the same time he felt restless. In the best way possible.

"This amazing!" Keith exclaimed.

"I know!" Allura replied.

"You were crazy back there!"

"I know!"

"It was incredible!"

"I know!"

"Your father's gonna kill us!"

"I know!"

The two laughed like crazy, despite the reality that they would indeed get into a whole galaxy of trouble once her father discovered this. Their laughter slowly died down, taking in deep breaths, slowing down their heart rates.

Lance rose his hand up and gripped the chair, using it to lift himself upwards. His face was almost as green as Pidge's shirt. "If you two are done laughing like a couple of maniacs, I think we should address our attention to the real issue at hand. We. Are in. _**SPACE!**_ "

Strangely enough, the word "space" echoed from the ship all the way outside in the vast void. How that was possible, who knows.

"I know you're the princess and all, but I'm going to say it right now. YOU'RE CRAZY! What, did you think you could just fly off into space with a bunch of strangers and a coyote and we're just gonna go on a space road trip filled with fun and laughs? Ha, ha, ha, WRONG! I don't care how many detentions I get from this, I'd rather face expulsion back safely on the ground than be stranded in space with a crazy princess and her robot pet!"

"Well, nobody asked you to come." Allura said.

"You said to follow you inside the ship, so we followed! I didn't think you were gonna turn the thing on! I thought we were hiding!"

"I was only doing what the lion asked."

"Oh, okay, I see, the "lion" asked you to steal a ship." Lance said, using air quotes, "Hmm, yeah sure, that makes perfect sense, oh wait, NO IT DOESN'T!"

"What did the lion say, exactly?" Keith asked the princess, speaking calmly unlike Lance.

"Well, it's not like it was saying words exactly. More like communicating with me telepathically." Allura said.

Lance blinked a few times. He took in a deep breath, trying to calm himself. "Um, Keith, _hermano_ , can I have a word with you in private, _por favor_?"

Keith shrugged his shoulder, "Sure." he replied, only to get dragged by the arm and Lance led him away from Allura's chair. Hunk and Pidge awkwardly stood beside her while the two boys talked.

Lance spoke first, "Keith, you know that little voice inside a person's head that tells them to quit while they're ahead?"

"Are you talking about a conscious?" Keith asked, unsure on where he was going with this.

"I was thinking more on the lines of, Common sense…" Lance's tone of voice, at first was calm, collected and calculating…until he clenched his jaw and gritted his teeth as he spoke in a harsh whisper. " _Yours just went on an all expense paid vacation!_ "

"Lance, we talked about this. We needed the red lion so we can find Voltron. Besides, you heard Allura, it needs to be reunited with its brethren. That must mean there are more out there."

"I'm sorry, did your brain get scrambled when we were launched into deep space? You can't honestly believe what she's saying. For all we know, she could be mentally unstable!"

Keith pulled out his dagger, his thumb tracing over the surface of the white stone. He heard the purring sound once more within his mind. Almost as if it were calling to him. He had to agree with Lance, a lot of this did sound insane, but deep inside Keith knew this had to be done.

"I know it's hard for you understand, I'm not entirely sure if I do either. But this stone has the answers, I know it. And from it seems Allura can communicate with the lion. I heard it too, she's not lying."

Lance rubbed his temples, feeling a migraine coming on. "Okay, if we're going to go through with this, we've got the lion, let's just put that magical stone on it, or whatever we're supposed to do, find Voltron and get back home!"

"It's not that simple. The red lion is only the first piece of the puzzle."

"Puzzle? Nobody said anything about puzzles! Nobody said anything about going into space!"

"Look, it doesn't matter anymore. We're all here, so we might as well finish what we started. Are you still with us, or not?"

Lance crossed his arms, pouting bitterly. His finger tapping his upper forearm. After a few seconds, he finally gave his answer. "If I die, I'm never talking to you again."

"I'm taking that a 'yes'." Keith patted Lance on the back and the two returned to their pilot. "So, what did the lion say now?"

"It's not saying anything at the moment." Allura replied, "Only that it needs to land somewhere. There is a small moon just up ahead."

"Great idea. We'll land and see what the lion knows about Voltron."

"The lion is in the cargo hold, why not just go to it now and ask?" Lance asked.

"I think that's going to have to wait for the moment." Allura said with a look of concern. The others gasped in horror at the sight of a large space ship flying directly towards them. The ship was of a dark, grayish purple color, with razor edges, and bright neon purple outlines on its windows and on the side of its wings. They recognized the form of this ship, having seen many pictures as well as video fetes from the news or the Garrison itself whenever the students were taught how to face such a threat if they would ever come across it in their future as pilots.

"Holly crow!" Hunk exclaimed, his eyes wide with terror, "Is that a Galra ship?!"

"It can't be." Allura said, her voice trembling. Keith was in a state of shock. His entire body froze. He had seen images of these ships, even images of the Galra themselves…but never had he imagined what it would have been like if he ever came across one. The idea had crossed his mind, but he foolishly believed it wouldn't phase him, since he did not like to associate his identity with these monsters. And yet, with a ship filled with them right before his eyes…he didn't know what to think.

"They probably came looking for the lion." Pidge said, snapping Keith from his thoughts. "Shiro did steal it from a Galra ship, it must be the same one!"

"Great! We're all gonna die!" Lance exclaimed, pressing his forehead against the side of the ship. Beam of purple began to appear on the side of the Galra space ship, and a multitude of purple lasers came shooting at them.

"Everybody hang on!" the princess shouted, dodging and flying by, avouching the incoming blasts. In her mind, she heard the lion purring once more. An idea formed in her mind. Much to the horror of the rest of the team, the princess instead flew towards the ship, dodging the incoming blasts. It was a good thing their ship was smaller in comparison to the Galra ship, which was the side of at least five ships.

"What are you doing?!" Lance exclaimed, "You're gonna get us killed!"

"Just shut up and trust me!" Allura replied. Pulling on a lever beside her, laser guns emerged from the side of their ship. The beams sliced right through the side of the Galra ship, creating a blue outline and the ship exploded in a fiery inferno.

"This thing has laser guns?!" Keith asked in shock.

"All of the Garrison ships have laser guns." Allura said.

"How do you know that?"

"My father's scientists helped built them. I read the blueprints."

Allura dove the ship further to the other side of the Galra ship, avoiding the lasers, and used the lasers to create another tear in the opposite side. Just like before, the side of the ship exploded. Pidge, Hunk and even Lance cheered on.

"Great job, Princess!" Pidge complimented.

"Thank you. Now, let's lead these Galra away from out planet." the princess said. Her eyes darted to Keith, who had remained silent. His eyes were frozen open, his mouth partly open as if he would scream. Allura hand't realized it until now, but seeing as Keith had, to some degree, just faced a side of his heritage he most likely wasn't very proud of must have been gut-wrenching for him.

(~)

"Commander Zarkon, we have found the red lion and the heart, but a ship attacked us and is heading out of the system." the captain of the ship said to his overload via computer screen. The shadowy figure narrowed his glowing purple eyes.

"Follow that lion and alert all ships in the area to intercept. Capturing that lion and the heart is your first and only priority. Don't disappoint me…or else."

"Yes, your Majesty."

(~)

"Oh, no!" Hunk exclaimed, now seeing that the Galra ship was coming right behind them.

"They're gaining on us!" Pidge exclaimed.

"Why aren't they attacking?" Keith asked, finally having snapped out of his shocked state. "They're just chasing us like a cat after a mouse."

"Okay, seriously, now we think having Galra chasing after us is good?" Hunk asked, gripping onto the chair tightly. "I am not on board with this new direction, guys."

"Princess, you're the driver, what do we do?" Lance asked, only to see that Allura's eyes had become somewhat blank, almost as if she were seeing a ghost. Lance waved his hand in front of her to no responce. "Keith, your girlfriend's spacing out again."

Allura blinked, shaking her head once she awoke. She turned to the half-Galra, "Keith, lend me the stone."

"What? Why?"

"Just trust me."

Keith pulled out the dagger and handed it to Allura. She placed her hand over the white stone. Closing her eyes, she listened to the sound of the lion. His purrs morphed into a growing growl. Allura's palm glowed a bright shimmering blue. A beam of light appeared right in front of them, expanding to create a spiraling vortex, large enough for their ship to enter, but not large enough for the Galra ship. Around the vortex were ancient blue symbols which, for Allura, bared some resemblance to the Altean language, but were still no doubt of another species overall.

A look of pure determination was edged on Allura's face, while everyone else gazed in shock. "Is that a wormhole?" Lance asked.

"Yes." Allura nodded, "The lion wants us to go through."

"Where does it go?" Pidge asked.

"I'm not sure." Allura replied, for the first time since they left Altean, her voice carried traces of uncertainty.

"Wherever it leads, the lion seems to know more than we do." Keith said, able to remain calm during the situation. "I say we trust it. But, we're all in this together now so…we should decide as a team."

Everyone turned to one another, not saying a word. Hunk nodded his head, though his eyes carried some hesitation, but there was no way he was going to let his best friends go through this without him. Besides, the only thing worse than being in space with aliens chasing after you, was having your friends being out here while you were worrying yourself to death unsure if they would ever return.

Pidge may have gotten her brother back, and she could always send a message to let Matt know where she was, but she was not about to abandon her other brothers as well.

Lance, as hesitant as he was, knew there was no turning back. And, just like with Pidge and Hunk, they had agreed to do this for Keith, and for Shiro. Lance may be a lot of things, but he was not someone who turned his back on his brothers and sister.

He sighed. "Okay. Guess we're all ditching class tomorrow."

Allura nodded and drove the ship into the wormhole, creating a shimmering display of light once they made their way through. The vortex closed right when the Galra ship flew by where it once was. The entire ship went at top speed, faster than even Allura could manage. Everyone held on tightly as the ship itself vibrated. Their teeth chattering and their hearts racing until the ship made its way through the other side. The vortex closed once more, and the group of friends were now flying peacefully through space, though in a part of space that did not seem familiar in the slightest. Altea was nowhere in sight, nor the other neighboring planets.

Once all was clear, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. "Well, that wasn't so bad." Allura said, trying to relax after the ordeal. Only for her to cringe in disgust along with the others when Hunk puked right then and there.

"So, sorry." he said, wiping his mouth.

"I'm just surprised he took this long." Pidge said, adjusting her glasses.

Keith looked out the window. "I don't recognize any of these constellations." he said. When he was younger, him and his family would go out in the middle of the night to gaze up at the stars, trying to find the well known constellations, as well as make up their own for fun. Sadly, none of these star formations rekindled any cherished childhood memory.

"We must be a long, long way from Altea." he said, trying to mask some of his concerns.

Lance pointed his finger forward. "What planet is that?"

The ship flew towards a planet that bared some resemblance to Altea, but the geography was completely different. Judging by the clouds and blues skies, the planet was indeed inhabitable, and untouched by the Galra as of yet. If it was, there would be Galra ships all around, and the sickly glow would be seen in various parts of the planet, as well as sickly gray clouds that seemed to take form on every palnet the Galra had conquered.

"That's Arus." Allura replied, "I've read about this planet. The people there are very peaceful and welcoming. I though the Galra had already conquered it."

"Why would the lion send us to Arus?" Pidge asked.

"I think the better question is, how the heck did you make a wormhole?!" Lance asked the princess, his voice raising so high that it literally blew Allura's hair back.

After adjusting her hair, the princess replied. "I can control my quintessence and manifest it into powerful mystical energy, okay."

"Wow! You can do magic?!" Hunk exclaimed, "I mean, I know Alteans can do that kind of stuff, but what you did was like, wow!"

"Yes well, it was mainly when I merged my quintessence with the stone. The lion said it would work." she said. Keith looked curiously at the white object on his blade. "You were right, Keith. That stone is special. And Shiro knew it too."

"So, what do we do now?" Pidge asked, more so to Keith than anyone else.

"Let's just land here and come up with a plan." Keith said.

"Good idea. I need a little peace and quiet after all of that." Lance said.

The ship doze downwards towards the planet, entering its atmosphere at light speed. It didn't take much longer for their surroundings to change from the endless darkness of space to a lush alien planet filled with mountains, trees, rivers and clear blue skies, reminiscent of earth. However, the group could really take in the scenery due to the speed causing them all to huddle together over Allura, much to her annoyance. Once the ship settled, everyone sighed in relief.

"Okay, you can all stop trying to crush me now." the princess said. The four of them quickie stepped back, apologizing. She spotted a clearing up ahead, a large hill with wide open spaces, overlooking the vast beautiful ocean. Several lush bushes surrounded the area. Once they landed, Hunk was the first to run down the staircase, getting down on his knees and kissing the ground.

"Oh, sweet, sweet solid ground! How I missed you!"

Balto barked happily as he ran out, the mice happily ridding on his head. Lance starched himself and took in the fresh Arusian air. "Ah, so much better!"

Pidge, on the other hand, was less than impressed. She looked around the place, seeing nothing but wilderness, dirt and water. She sighed, dropping her shoulders. "Why couldn't the lion have sent us to a cool place? I hate the outdoors! Nothing but sunburn and poison oak."

Keith stood near the edge of the hill, the wind in his long raven locks, taking in the salty sea air. "I like it here." he said. "It's quiet."

Allura walked up to see the view for herself. Her eyes sparkled as the waves crashed onto the rocks bellow. The planet's sun made the surface of the water sparkle like stardust. A few little bird-like creatures flew downwards, circling around Allura, causing her to giggle. "I still can't believe this happened."

"I know." Keith replied, "Seriously, how did you learn to fly a ship like that?"

"I told you. My father's scientists worked on the construction of every ship the Garrison uses. Since I always hoped to fly one one day I studied everything I knew about piloting. I practiced with my own simulator back at the palace. Though, it was meant to be more of just some virtual reality game to keep me occupied, it only added fuel to the fire."

Keith blinked in surprise. "Wow. You definitely know more about piloting than I do. Shiro did teach me a few things but I…" Keith looked away, nervously scratching the back of his head. "Um…I never really piloted an actual ship before." the poor boy felt so embarrassed right now. He had already mentioned to her all about his desire to pilot a ship and travel through space, and while he did show promise and talent, he had yet to actually fly a ship.

Instead of being surprised or laughing, Allura simply playfully punched his arm. "Well, good thing you've found someone who can teach you." she smiled, which resulted in Keith smiling back.

Their moment was cut short when something inside the ship suddenly started to roar like mad. "I think the lion's getting testy!" Lance exclaimed, hiding behind Hunk, who in turn hid behind Lance, using him as a human shield.

The two rushed towards the ship, where Allura commanded the cargo hold to open from the back of the ship. Once the hatch had lowered, Keith instinctively pulled out his blade, ready to fight. Allura placed her hand on his wrist, shaking her head. She silently asked him to relax, for she knew how to handle the red lion.

From inside the large hatch, they heard the roaring again, only to see a scrawny middle aged man running like a maniac from whatever was inside. He rushed to Allura, hiding behind her. Sweat dripping from his brow, and even his mustache.

"Coran?!"

"Oh, Princess, thank the Heavens you're here! That thing is trying to eat me!" the frantic Altean pointed at the giant mechanical lion, who emerged from the ship, leaping forward and landing with crushing force. Its mighty roar stretched out from across the planet, reaching the ears of its inhabitants.

"Oh, I knew it! I knew it was gonna eat us!" Hunk screamed in terror, which only made the lion roar even more.

Allura and Keith remained perfectly calm and still. Keith keep his look of fierce determination, while Allura remained serene and relaxed. She approached the red lion, not flinching once, and the creature slowly eased down. "It's alright. We won't hurt you. You're safe now." she said, speaking with such a kind and loving voice. The lion calmed down, lowering its head to her level. The princess placed a gentle hand over its metallic nose. The creature purred in delight.

Hunk watched from behind Lance. "How did she do that?"

Lance shrugged, "You know what they say; Beauty tamed the Beast."

The lion eventually laid down on its stomach, while Allura continued to pet its nose, cooing it. "Good boy. Who's a good, beautiful red lion. You are, yes you are."

Keith couldn't help but smile in awe. "That's amazing." he said, boldly approaching the lion. Amazingly, it didn't react negatively towards the half-Galra boy.

"He's a bit temperamental, but he's still very sweet." Allura said. He then stepped back a bit, allowing for Keith to get even closer. A bit hesitant at first, but Keith eventually placed his hand on the surface of the lion's nose. He heard it purr happily.

Hunk quickly lost all sense of fear and instead found himself gushing over the scene. "Awww. You know, once you get past all the roaring and mechanical limbs, he's actually kind of cute."

Coran, on the other hand, kept looking back and forth at the three students, then at the princess, then at Keith before finally at the lion. He then looked all around him, realizing that they were, in fact, no longer in Altea. His eyebrow twitched, his entire face turning red as the lion itself.

" _ **ALLURA!**_ " Coran screamed at the top of his lungs, only to be silenced when Allura covered his mouth. _What is the meaning of all of this?! How did you get that ship? Why are we on Arus? And who are these hoodlums?_ "

"Coran, just let me explain."

"Oh, if your father finds out-correction- _when_ your father finds out about this, he will ground you for the next ten thousand moons! You'll be lucky if you ever see daylight again after pulling off a stunt like this! I kept saying, "But King Alfor, Allura is young, she needs to have a bit more freedom, some fun." I should have smacked myself in the head with a wrench right then and there! I knew your sneaking around and leaving the castle would was risky, I should have stopped you before you went off the deep end! And now, we're stranded on a planet, millions of lightyears away from home, with a giant lion and a-" Coran stopped midway, blinking when he got a good look at Keith. His eyes narrowed. "Wait a minute. Is that the Galra boy?"

"His name is Keith." Allura corrected, "Coran, please don't-" before she could finish, Coran leaped into the air, doing a karate kick at Keith, blocking him away from Allura, who rolled her eyes, placing one hand on her hips while pouting in annoyance.

"Stand back, Princess! I've dealt with the Galra back in my military days. The trick is to never back down and show no mercy!"

Keith show no reaction. He bore a deadpan stare, one hand on his hips while Coran did multiple karate moves, which really didn't seem all that impressive. It looked more like he was trying to intimidate Keith rather than make an actual attempt to hit him.

Allura sighed, placing a hand on the older Altean's shoulder. "Coran, calm down. Keith isn't going to hurt me, or anyone. He's my friend."

"Friend? This boy?" Coran asked, arching an eyebrow in suspicion, only for the dots to connect in his head. "Oh, no. Don't tell me. So, this is why you've been sneaking around all this time? To meet your secret Galra boyfriend!"

"What?! No!" both Allura and Keith exclaimed, their faces red with embarrassment.

"We just met a day ago!" Keith exclaimed, trying to clear things up.

"Technically, you met a year ago." Lance corrected.

"Shut up, Lance!"

Coran face palmed himself, his shoulder slumping in despair. "Oh, princess, what have you gotten yourself into? I should have known. Teenage girls these days, they always go for the bad boys. The more forbidden the romance the more alluring it is."

Allura face palmed herself, groaning in frustration. "Coran, it's nothing like that."

Pidge nodded, "Yeah, besides if they were running away together, why would they bring us along?" she pointed out.

Coran stroked his mustache. "You make a good point. But, if this isn't some rebellious teenage affair, then why did you steal the ship?"

"I did it because I couldn't allow my father to destroy the lion." Allura replied, "What were you doing in the cargo hold?"

"Well, I was on clean up duty, but when the ship started taking off I tripped and hit my head. Next thing I remember I was waking up to see that giant robotic thing looking down at me I was his lunch."

The lion gave a soft growl, only for Keith to calm him down by petting his nose. "Well, he won't hurt you now. So you got nothing to worry about."

"Oh, no, I'm not worried about the lion anymore." he narrowed his eyes at Keith, leaning in closer, trying to look menacing. "But I've got my eye on _you_."

Allura stepped in between the two, pushing the man back. "Coran, enough! Keith is not going to hurt anyone, and if you're going to be here then you will show him respect as well, is that clear?"

Coran darted his eyes to Keith and then at the princess. The Altean man reluctantly complied. "As you wish, princess. Now, could you explain to me why you felt the need to rescue this lion?"

"We need it to find Voltron." she replied.

Coran's eyes widened. "Voltron? I…I haven't heard that name since I was child."

Allura and Keith's eyes widened at his words. Before they had a chance to ask more question, the group heard a sound rustling in the bushes behind them.

(~)


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey! Sorry for the long wait. Long story short, I had to finish another story I have been pushing back for months now. Thank Jesus my Lord and Savior I am FINALLY done with it!**

 **(BTW, it's The Little Pony Legend: Shadow of Ronin, written by blueblur, who co-wrote it with me. If you want to check it out, it's on my favorite's list.)**

 **Also, I was working on chapter 4 of my novel, Legend of the Lost Star, which is halfway completed (I had some struggle getting a scene to work and I wounded up editing it for three hours. I never stop until something is just right.)**

 **Also, last sunday I went to a Church group thing with my mom where the nuns were having a festival. Gorgeous place, beautiful garden, lovely architecture, it really sparkled some inspiration for the novel….which is kind of the reason why I wanted to go in the first place. *blush*. I use my hobbies and talents to praise the Lord, I am not ashamed.**

 **Anyway, I'm back and now it's time for the newest chapter of Voltron Retold! Enjoy!**

(~)

Purple crystals hovered around the cloaked figure, sparkling particles danced within the stones. A sickly looking woman with purplish skin and yellow eyes gasped as if she had just inhaled for the first time after being submerged in water for so long. She sat on her knees over a glowing purple symbol, her cloak draped down on the surface. Her long, shinny white hair cascaded downwards over her shoulders.

She stood up, her movements slow yet swift, almost like a ghost and left her chambers. She slid across the corridor towards the throne room, where her master too before the window, overlooking his ships.

"The red lion has been found." she said in an old and raspy, "And now I feel a resurgence of the heart's energy."

"So, the pilot who stole it from me still lives. How?"

"I know not. But it is time to reclaim what is rightfully ours."

Her master smiled wickedly. "Yes. He shall pay for stealing from me. This time, he will not escape me so easily. Contact my commanders."

From another Galra ship, the purple glowing screen shut on, showcasing the face of their malevolent ruler. "Commander Sendak, the heart of Voltron has been located in your sector. Your battle fleet is the closest to its location. Retrieve it, and the pilot who stole it from me."

The Galra, Commander Sendak, was a strong purple colored creature with large cat-like ears. He wore a large red colored armor and his left hand was entirely robotic, larger than his actual hand, and twice as powerful, if not more so. He kneeled before his king.

"I fight for the empire. I conquer in the name of Galra. No foe has ever stood in my way. And none ever will."

(~)

Hunk instinctively hid behind Allura, while the red lion rose upwards. An angry growl came from its mouth. Allura turned to the lion, nodding her head. A silent way of telling him to calm down but to remain vigilant. Keith instinctively reached for his blade, the light bounced off of the metallic surface. The bushes continued to rustle, awaiting for whatever was behind it.

In the amount it took for them to blink, a small yellow alien with light orang markings on its arms that extended from the back of his palm to underneath his eyes, and a long flat tail that dragged behind him. His eyes were of a red coloring, and on his head appeared to be some form of maroon colored helmet with who "horns" curved back, resembling a ram's horns. He wore green pants with a brown belt and silver belt buckle, a matching brown sash ran across his chest, and a green collar around his neck. In his hands he wielded a sharp object, a blade of some kind. He was about the same height as a human five-year-old child, though judging by his "accessory" he was far from being a child.

Upon seeing the little alien, Hunk quickly calmed down and smiled. "Awww, how cute!"

Allura too relaxed, as did the red lion, reflecting her reaction. "It's a local Arusian."

"Who are you? Are you allies of the Galra?" the little alien asked, attempting to sound threatening, but instead just came across as adorable. His slightly high pitched voice was enough to make Hunk want to hug him.

"That's so adorable!" Hunk said,

"Hey, maybe we can knit him a little sweater." Lance said, only to receive some annoyed looks from Allura, Keith, Pidge and Coran.

The Arusian was stepped back when Balto started growling. Keith petted the little coyote's head. "Calm down, boy. It's okay."

Allura stepped forward, addressing herself formally to the Arusian. "Please kind sir, accept my most humble apologies. We did not mean to intrude on your home planet, and we are most certainly not aligned with the Galra." at the mention of this, she hoped she didn't accidentally say something that would hurt Keith's feelings. Considering he was, technically, Galra, they were in a way aligned with him. But, Keith never really considered himself part of the Galra species as a whole, so it didn't bother him in the slightest. He knew Allura was referring to the Galra led by Zarkon.

The little Arusian lowered his weapon and introduced himself, "I am Klaizap, bravest of our warriors. Our village is over Gazrall Hill."

"I am Princess Allura of Planet Altea. This is Coran, Keith, Hunk, Lance and Pidge." the red lion gave a soft, and somewhat annoyed, sounding growl. "Oh, and this is…well, we just call him Red."

"How do you know it's a "him"?" Lance asked.

"You wanna find out?" Pidge asked, making Lance flinch.

"No, I'm good."

Upon seeing the red lion up close, Klaizap gasped, his rounded eyes widening in awe. His entire body froze in place before kneeling down, his blade placed before him. "Great Lion, you have awoken at last." Looks of confusion were shared among the group and Klaizap turned to them, still on his knees. "Where did you find him?"

"I didn't." Keith replied, "My brother Shiro rescued it from a Galra ship."

It was then, when the white stone on his blade was spotted by the Arusian. "What is that on your blade?"

Keith pulled his weapon out, the Arusian sun shown down, making the white stone shimmer like a treasure washed up on the shoreline. Klaizap gasped once more. "I never thought I would live to see this."

"See what?" Keith asked, "Do you know what it is?"

"Indeed. The legends are true." he kneeled down once more. "The Paladins have returned."

"Paladins?" Lance asked, "Okay, you're making even less sense than these two." he said, pointing his thumb at both Keith and Allura, who both gave him annoyed looks.

Klaizap piked up his weapon and invited the others to follow him. "Come. Our king shall explain everything." he said.

The others looked at one another in confusion, Keith gripped his dagger tightly. He studied the stone and the red lion growled softly. "What did he say?" Hunk asked Allura.

"He said we should trust Klaizap." she said.

Lance crossed his arms, rolling his eyes. "Of course he did." he muttered. Everybody else ignored him and continued on. The red lion started to move as well, following the group, more specifically Allura. Lance was the last one to move, realizing that despite his resistance, he was outnumbered.

"Hey, wait up!"

(~)

Klaizap let the group to his village. It was a small, humble little place, located on a lush green hill. The homes were the perfect size for the short and cuddly little Arusians, who greeted their guests with open arms. The red lion stayed on the outskirts of the village, seeing as nobody wanted a giant mechanical lion accidentally stepping on anything….or anyone.

Many of the younger Arusians scurried towards Allura, the little girls tugging at her long dress, gazing at her in wonder. They had never seen a creature of such beauty. They bombarded her with questions as to how she kept her hair so flowing and sparkly, while others wondered where she got her gowns from.

Lance, Hunk and Pidge socialized with the Arusians rather easily, but Keith had a difficult time doing so. He looked all around with uncertainty. Several Arusians looked in his direction, while others were a bit hesitant. He wondered if they had already figured out he was half Galra.

"Please, don't fault them." Klaizap said, getting Keith's attention. The little Arusian gave him a sympathetic look. "We have all heard tales of the Galra and their tyranny. We live in constant fear when or if ever they will strike our home. But you were chosen by the heart, so don't worry. We have no reason to fear you."

"Chosen by the heart?" Keith asked, taking the stone from his dagger. He squatted down, holding the white stone in his palm. "You mean this stone?"

"The Heart of Voltron." the Arusians dispersed when their king approached them. He was a bit taller compared to the others, and the brown shell on his head was styled into a single curved horn over his head with a golden outline above his forehead. He was wrinkled and elderly, with a beard and a mustache made entirely from the material of his skin. He wore long green and blue robes adorned with yellow markings. Klaizap bowed before him.

The king addressed to the young teenagers and the older Altean. "Fellow travelers, I, King of the Arusians, welcome you to our village."

"Thank you for your hospitality." Allura said. The others allowed her to speak for them, since she was royalty she was more experienced with this sort of thing. "I'm sorry for the intrusion, but your bravest warrior said you could help answer our questions."

The king simply nodded and led them towards a cave, not too far from the village. One of his people gave him a torch and he stepped back allowing for the team to walk inside.

"What's in there?" Keith asked.

"The answers you seek." replied the king. "Once you go in, place the heart on the stone lion, and all shall be revealed."

"Or, you could just tell us and we can be on our way." Coran suggested, only to have the king narrow his eyes. The Altean scratched the back of his neck. "Or, not."

Hunk trembled, gripping Keith's arm. "Why does it have to be a cave? Why can't it be like an ancient library, or a waiting room."

The king led the children inside the cave, the dancing flames served as their only source of light. The further they went the team started to take notice of several markings on the cave wall. Pidge traced her hand over the surface, seeing images of what appeared to be a mechanical lion, almost identical to Red, only instead it was colored green.

Hunk's eyes widened in wonder at the images of the same robotic lion, but yellow. Lance also found himself mesmerized by the images of the blue colored lion. It reminded him of the clear blue skies back on Altea, as well as the vast blue ocean.

Allura saw images of the red lion, while Keith saw a much larger lion, black and white with red wings on its back and golden collar around its neck. "There really are more lions." Keith whispered as they walked further.

At the end of the cave was a ring of six stone tablets, each one with a lion carved on top. While they were all made out of the same sandy yellow rock material, the writings on the tablets were in either green, yellow, blue, red or purple. Hunk walked up to the one with the yellow writing and read the words out loud.

" _ **Force of steal, strong as rocks of the earth, but strength of kindness is its worth.**_ "

Pidge traced over the green writing. " _ **Though short and mere in stature, the forest protector is in its nature.**_ "

Lance rubbed his chin in thought as he read the blue writing, " _ **River flows, water thrives, pushes away the doubt so to survive.**_ "

Allura's eyes were on the red writings. " _ **The small flame, from passion ignite, reveals the truth in the darkness of night.**_ "

Finally, Keith read the purple lettering. His brows furrowed in confusion. " _ **Wisdom, courage and love have begun, when the eyes open: We are one.**_ "

The sixth tablet, had no writing on it whatsoever. The lion above it was larger in comparison to the others, it literally towered over Keith and everyone, its body merging with the cave, the tablet was in equal size. On the very center was what appeared to be a V like symbol, with a single cracked hole.

Keith felt the stone in his flame suddenly become warmer than before. In the darkness of the cave they could see the radiant colors reflecting off of the surface like glass. Looking back at the hole, Keith connected the dots. He gently placed the stone on the tablet, but nothing happened.

Allura approached the stone, curiously tapping it. Once she did, the princess immediately backed away once the symbol and the stone started to glow. Blue markings emerged from the stone, outstretching upwards, creating details markings on the lion, making appear more like an actual lion. Its eyes glowed a bright blue, the same occurred for the other lions as well, and even the markings on the walls glowed of various colors. The king smiled while everyone else gasped at the sight.

The white stone emitted a beam of light, engulfing the entire cave in sparkling blue particles. For Keith and Allura, it reminded them of the diamonds in the cave back on Altea. It was almost uncanny. Balto and the mice started playing with the small particles, which up close looked like letters and numbers.

"These are coordinates." Pidge concluded, until a floating image of the red lion suddenly hovered before her eyes, along with an image of the planet they were currently on, as well as additional information. "It has the information on the red lion from before and after Shiro stole it from Zarkon."

"Look at your primitive synapses firing away in their little brain cage." Coran said. Pidge was not amused.

In front of Allura appeared the red lion, hovering over her outreached palms. The same blue lion floated over to Lance. The yellow over to Hunk, the green to Pidge, and the black winged lion over to Keith. The holographic lions roared in unison, and images flashed before their eyes.

They saw the entire universe. The planets, the stars, everything. From the planets emerged what appeared to be a large shimmering comet that soared across the cosmos. Upon closer look, the comet was revealed to be a massive four legged creature, with fur all over its body and enormous feathered wings that shimmered and radiated with star dust particles. Its eyes were as clear as the sky, reflective like a mirror and changed colors like a kaleidoscope. It ran like a wild animal. Powerful, majestic and wild. It let out a mighty roar that spread across the universe like a sonic wave, sending particles of its stardust across planets, which sprinkled on the soils, causing the plant life to flourish, the sick to be healed and the oceans to become clean.

The creature landed softly on the grassy field of a planet, where aliens of all species cheered for it. More images appeared of several aliens, mainly Alteans, traveled to various deserted solar systems, collecting space rocks and traces from old comets to construct five mechanical ships, all in the form of the creature The mystical creature nodded her head, smiling warmly and roared at the robots. In an instant, their eyes glowed a bright yellow and they too roared in reply. Their bodies gained new individual colors. The winged creature roared once more and the lions flew up into the sky, their colors creating a rainbow high in the sky. A bright white light engulfed them and what emerged next was a giant mechanical warrior with the lion's head for a helmet, and the rest of the lions served as the arms and lefts. A sword emerged from its right hand, and robotic wings were on its back. The robot warrior traveled the galaxy, protecting various planets and bringing peace for all in the universe.

The images stopped, the entire group, save for Coran and the Arusian king, gasped, shaking their heads and blinking from the experience. They felt a tad lightheaded after witnessing such things.

Pidge was the first to comment. "Did…did you guys see all of that?"

"Voltron is a robot!" Hunk exclaimed, "Voltron is a huge, huge awesome robot!"

"And the red lion is only one part of it." Lance said, "So, Shiro really wasn't delirious."

"I remember." Coran said, "When I was a child my grandfather used to tell me stories of this ancient warrior who protected the galaxy. Legend says it was created by the mystical energy of the Nalea. A cosmic spirit who created life for other planets before returning to sleep for another ten thousand years. Voltron would defend the galaxy while she slumbered. I never in a million years would have imagined it was real."

A wide smile formed on Pidge's face. "We have one of the pieces of a mystical giant robot." she gasped, now that the true reality of their adventure had clicked in her head. "We found a mystical giant robot. We found a mystical giant robot!" the youngest of the group started running around, gripping either Hunk or Lance by the collar, shouting excitedly, "WE FOUND A MYSTICAL GIANT ROBOT! _WE FOUND A MYSTICAL GIANT ROBOT!_ ….Wait, if Voltron was the defender of the universe what happened to him?"

The Arusian king looked downcast, before narrowing his eyes. " _Zarkon_." he said in a venomous tone.

"When Voltron disappeared, Zarkon rose to power. He stole the heart of Voltron, for without it the lions could not form together. The original paladins were destroyed, the lions separated, and spread across the universe. Never to be seen again. Zarkon had spent the last ten thousand years searching for the lions, invading and conquering planet after planet in his bloodthirsty quest for complete universal domination."

"And he's already found the red lion." Allura said, pressing her hand over her heart, which was beating rapidly.

"But, if he had the heart this whole time, why didn't he just use it to tell him where the other lions were?" Keith asked.

"In the hands of evil, the heart can bring great suffering. But, in the hands of those with a pure heart, and pure mind, it reveals the truth." the king led Allura to the tablet, more specifically the heart. Everything now became crystal clear. The lion instructing her, the wormhole that opened, allowing them to arrive on Arus and now it revealed to them the truth of Voltron.

The Arusian king proceeded to explain, "That is why Zarkon has been tracking the lions. For if they ever found their way to their paladins, Voltron would form once again, and his reign shall come to an end."

"Paladins?" Hunk asked.

"Yes." the king approached Allura. The princess got down on her knees to the king's level, who took her hands. The floating hologram of the red lion floated beside them. The king gently pushed it forward back to Allura. She placed her palm underneath it, as if she could actually touch it.

"As you have learned, the lions choose their pilots. It is a mystical bond and can not be forced. The quintessence of the pilot is mirrored in his or her lion. Together, they form something greater than science can explain. The red lion has chosen you, young princess, to be its paladin."

"Me? Why me?" she asked.

"And how do you know all of this?" Keith asked.

"Over the centuries, the legends of Voltron have faded from existence. Very few still hold true to the tales and believe in its inevitable return." the king returned his attention to Allura, "The red lion is the most temperamental and difficult to master. It's faster and more agile, as well as unstable. Yet, you were able to sooth it. It will only choose a pilot with a passionate spirit who relies on equally on instinct as well as skill. An individual with the will to seek the righteous path without hesitation."

"Yeah, that sounds about right." Lance said, crossing his arms, "Especially the 'difficult' part."

The princess pouted in annoyance while grunting. "Lance, be nice." Keith said sternly, causing Lance to huff.

"I think I understand." Allura said as she stood upwards, the holographic red lion still hovering over her palm.

"Wait, wait, wait, hold the phone!" Hunk said, feeling as if his brain would explode from all of this information. "Are you saying _we_ are the paladins of Voltron?" he asked the Arusian king. "Like, we're supposed to find these magical robot lions, pilot them and form Voltron? Look, t-there must be some mistake here. I'm not a pilot, I'm an engineer. Pidge has never piloted a ship in her life, and I think I'd have a better chances of survival with a monkey behind the wheel than Lance!"

"Hey!"

"It's a harsh truth, Lance. Live with it."

"There is no mistake." Allura said, her eyes fixated on the hologram. "I can feel it."

"Your quintessence is very powerful, child." the king said, "The heart reacted to your energy."

"That's how you were able to create the wormhole!" Keith concluded.

Allura nodded in agreement. "There's no mistake. I think it's very clear we were all brought here for a reason. The Voltron lions are meant to be piloted by us, and us alone."

Hunk groaned, "I was afraid she was going to say that."

"So, who gets to pilot who?" Lance asked, becoming surprisingly interested in the whole thing. A stark contrast to his relentless to even go into space. "I call dibs on the one with wings!"

"It doesn't work that way." Allura explained. One of the lions floated beside her. She read its coordinates and could feel the energy of the creature, being sent to her via the stone. "The blue lion is the friendliest of the lions and the most accepting of new pilots. It's confident and can withstand against bigger and better opponents." she gently pushed it forward, and the image floated back towards the young man. "Lance, you shall pilot the blue lion."

Lance blinked, studying his supposed lion. He really liked how the blue coloring reminded him of the ocean, and despite its mechanical features, was actually kind of cute. He smiled in satisfaction. "Okay, I can work with this."

Another lion floated towards Allura, the green one and instead of pushing it forward like she did with Lance's lion, she instead personally approached Pidge and handed her the image. "The green lion has an inquisitive personality, and needs a pilot of intellect and daring." The younger girl held the holographic image in her palms. "Pidge, you will pilot the green lion."

Pidge smiled excitedly. Despite not being a pilot herself, the idea of owning her own robotic lion was just too thrilling to not be excited for.

"The yellow lion is caring and kind." Allura allowed another lion to float towards her and also personally offered it to Hunk, who blinked in disbelief. "It's pilot is someone who places the needs of others above his own. His heart must be mighty. As the leg of Voltron you will lift the team up and hold them together."

"Me?!" Hunk asked, pointing at himself. His voice came off high pitched, showcasing just how hesitant he was about this choice. Still, once he saw the image of the lion, his nerves slowly calmed down.

The last and final lion floated near Allura. She held this one for a while longer as she explained. Judging by the look in her eyes, this lion appeared to have captivated her attention.

"The black lion is the decisive head of Voltron. It will choose a pilot who is a born leader, and in control at all times. Someone who's team will follow without hesitation." Allura approached the lion's respected paladin, who took a couple steps back. She could see the hesitation and uncertainty in his eyes. "Keith…you will pilot the black lion."

"Whoa, what? Me? No, no, no, no, there has to be some mistake."

"There is no mistake."

"Maybe you should read that again, or maybe the stone's got a glitch or something." Keith tapped on the surface of the white stone, which was still on the tablet. He stopped when Allura touched his arm, looking at him with kind eyes.

"Keith…it's you."

The young half-Galra kept himself steady by holding the side of the wall. The black lion, the supposed leader of the whole thing, had chosen him? Out of all people? He looked at his companions, expecting them to say something in regards to this illogical choice. But, none of them said anything against it.

Except Coran, who cleared his throat. "Um, princess, are you sure he's supposed to pilot the black lion?" he asked, arching an eyebrow at the young man, giving him a suspicious look.

"I'm certain, Coran." Allura replied.

Keith shook his head, unwilling to believe this. "Why me? I'm not a leader. I'm not calm under pressure, my Galra side can be incredibly unstable. You sure we can't switch lions? I think black's more your color."

Allura rose a brow, looking very unamused. "I didn't make these arrangements, the stone did, I'm just reading what it says, and Red is _mine!_ " she pointed her thumb towards herself, rising her voice a bit for emphasis. It had only been a few hours, yet the princess had already developed a closeness towards the red lion.

Keith sighed in defeat, allowing the holographic lion to float over his palms. It was larger than the others, with black armor, with traces of gold and red. A pair of red colored wings extended from its back. He still wasn't certain about this arrangement, and he definitely wasn't looking forward to piloting this lion. Just starring at him didn't make him feel relief or comfort like it did for the others. Keith felt uneasiness and even some anxiety bubbling beneath the surface. There had to be somebody else who could pilot the lion.

Unfortunately, the only person who Keith firmly believed fit the bill was no longer alive.

The coordinates disappeared, being sucked back into the white stone, which ceased its glowing. A powerful roar was heard outside and Klaizap hurried into the cave, bowing before the king.

"Your Majesty, the red lion has sensed a great disturbance!"

(~)

Having taken the stone in hand, the group rushed outside to see the red lion, roaring in alarm. Allura rushed to its side. "What is it, boy?" she asked. The lion pointed its nose to where their ship had landed. They hurried towards it, only to hear a powerful alarm sounding off from inside. Coran hurried inside, typing on the control panels. A blue screen appeared before him, right before flashing red. A video image appeared. The male Altean gasped in horror.

"A Galra battle ship has sent its tracker to us!"

"How did they find us?" Pidge asked.

"The red lion probably has some kind of tracking device on it!" Hunk concluded.

"Nice going, princess." Lance said.

Allura was appalled, "You're honestly blaming me?"

"Hey, you're the one who got us stuck on the other side of a wormhole!"

"And if we hadn't, Altea would have been attacked and we'd be dead!"

"Well, the first part was a success, _now we're all gonna die!_ " Lance yelled, gaining up on the princess, who didn't appear the least bit intimidating.

Keith had to push the two apart, "Alright, enough you two! Now's not the time to place blame!" he turned to Coran, "How long before they arrive?"

"At their speed, let's see, carry the two…" Coran started counting his fingers, "About…one hour."

Hunk was already trembling. "Oh, this is bad!"

"Alright, let's not panic." Keith said, trying his best to calm his friend.

"Not panic? T-The Galra is driving their battle ship towards us, on a planet filled with little alien guys, and how are we going to fight it off with just one ship? _Now_ is the perfect time to panic!" the poor boy was already hyperventilating, only for Keith to pat him gently on the back to try and calm him.

"Okay, take it easy, Hunk. We just have to think of a plan. And quickly." Keith said.

"Wait, all of the Garrison military ships have particle barriers." Allura said, tapping her chin in thought.

Lance rose a brow, "Girl, I think you've lost a few particles upstai-"

" _Lance!_ " Keith exclaimed in annoyance, silencing his friend.

Allura proceeded to explain, ignoring his comment. "If we had a portable one, we could use it to shield the Arusian village from the Galra attack."

Pidge then gasped in realization before pulling a rounded disk-like object from her backpack. "I can program my recorder to work as a portable particle barrier. My dad makes them all the time for the Garrison military."

"Okay, but what about the rest of us?" Hunk asked, "How is one ship going to fight off a Galra battle ship?"

"We did it last time. Well, technically, Allura did it last time." Keith said, causing the princess to blush and smile bashfully. It was rare that someone would comment on her piloting skills. Very rare, considering nobody ever really did due to secrecy.

"Okay, but what about the ship?" Lance said, arms folded, "We may gotten lucky last time, but that doesn't mean we won't have the same luck now. Our laser guns were able to do minor damage to their ship."

"Good point." Keith thought for a moment before turning over to his other friend. "Hunk, you've dealt with laser guns before, right?"

"Yeah." Hunk replied with uncertainty.

"You think you can transfer power to the lasers?"

"Well, yeah, but it'll take me a while. I've never dealt with military level laser guns before."

"You'll finish a lot faster with help." Coran said. "My first toy was a laser gun. Ah, I still remember the look on my mother's face when I blew a hole into the couch." he wipe a way a single tear, "Good times." Hunk blinked, his eyes wide in shock.

"I'll need some barrier crystals to make the portable barrier fully functional." Pidge said.

"Not to worry!" said Klaizap, "We Arusians have plenty of crystals in our mines. They may be Balmeran crystals, I believe you can work with those."

"Perfect. Allura and I will search the red lion to see if we can find that tracking device. Everyone, let's move!" Keith said with much authority in his voice before leading Allura out to help her find the so called tracking device.

Lance and Hunk watched as the two left the ship, along with Pidge and Kalizap. However, both boys had their eyes locked on their best friend and the Altean princess. Their eyes darted towards each other.

"You saw that too right?" Hunk said with a suspicious tone.

Lance nodded his head. "The day has finally arrived."

(~)

The red lion reacted positively to Allura's return. The mechanical beats lowered its head to greet her. She petted it and smiled warmly. "Don't worry, boy. Everything will be alright. Do you know if Zarkon placed some kind of tracker on you?" she asked. The red lion gave soft growling sounds, almost as if it were whimpering.

"Poor thing."

"What is it?" Keith asked.

"He had been asleep for ten thousand years. He only awoke when Shiro took the heart from Zarkon. Even if he does have tracking device, he's not sure."

"It could somewhere inside."

Allura gently petted Red's nose. "Would you allows us to search?"

The lion did not hesitate in opening its mouth, giving Allura and Keith full access. From inside, it looked like any other ship. Both Keith and Allura looked at each other in surpass before walking into the lion's mouth. Once inside, Allura's eyes widened in awe. While she knew first hand that the lion was a live in a way, the inside looked entirely like a sophisticated space ship. Everything appeared clean, shinny and brand new. Hard to believe this lion was more than a thousand years old. The color red adorned various aspects of the interior.

In the center was a single chair. Allura traced her fingers on the surface, feeling its soft leather material. She hesitantly sat down, and as if by an invisible force, the chair jerked forward to the control panel before her. The lights switched on, and the black screen before her cleared, revealing the Arusian village. Coordinates and numbers appeared onto the side of the screen, and on the holographic computer above the controls. Two separated controls were on opposite sides of the chair. The lights on the handles glowed a bright red, with a slight pink tint to them.

"Amazing." she said in a faint whisper.

Keith traced his hands across the surface of the interior, searching for something that resembled Galra tech. The cockpit was only big enough for probably five people, but that was about it. There as no where else to search but this one room.

"Did you find something?" Allura asked.

"No. Not yet." he replied, while squatting down, trying to look underneath the panels and even in any small space he could reach his hand through.

Meanwhile, Allura studied the controls. Her finger accidentally brushed off the surface of one button, which caused her and Keith to get pushed forward, nearly hitting their heads on the panel. From the outside, the red lion had moved as well.

Keith rubbed his head, wincing in pain. "What did you do?"

"I think I just made it move."

"I thought he could move on his own!"

"I suppose it's the same as with ridding a horse?" Allura heard the side of the panel suddenly open, and strange object, colored in black, white and red. Allura instinctively pulled it from it's place, studying it. She tilted her head curiously at its design.

"What is it?" Keith asked.

Allura heard the lion's soft growls once more. "A Bayard." she replied.

"A what-now?"

"It's some kind of weapon."

"For what?"

"I don't-Whoa!"

"Yikes!" Keith nearly fell backwards in his attempt to step away from the so called Bayard, which had just extended in length to become a full on shimmering sword with a red stripe starting from its tip that ran all the way down. Allura stepped out of the chair, studying this said sword. Her eyes shimmered in wonder.

Keith quickly regained his composure. "Okay, so that answers that question."

Allura held the sword firmly in her hand and, as if by sheer will alone, the sword disappeared, reverting back to its original harmless form. The princess gave a crocked smile. "Impressive."

"Any more surprises I should know about?"

Allura awaited for the lion to say something, but when he didn't respond she simply shrugged. "I guess not."

Keith sighed, tracing his fingers through his long raven locks. "Okay, so there doesn't seem to be any kind of tracking device on him. Do you think Zarkon has some kind of link to the red lion? When he found it, maybe he somehow imprinted on it."

"I don't that's possible. Zarkon may have a legion of powerful quintessence users at his beck and call,

"I'm not sure. This lion is clearly made of some form of ancient, supernatural technology." she looked away, a clenched fist resting on her chest. "Unless…"

"Unless what?"

"What if it's not the lion? What if Zarkon is using something else?"

Keith pulled out his dagger, showcasing the white stone. "You think he's tracking us through the heart?"

"He has had it for a very long time. And, the heart is connected to the other lions."

"But, he could never find even when he had it."

"He may not have been able to find the lions, but what if he can still find the heart?"

Keith looked at the dagger in dismay, "That's a good point. But we can't lose it."

"I know. I think I have an idea. Not sure if it will help, but it's worth a shot." Allura extended her hand to Keith. Without hesitation, he removed the stone from the dagger and handed it to the princess. She placed her free hand over it. Her hands glowed a bright blue color before shifting to a radiant pink. Keith stared in wonder as the princess was apparently using her magical abilities to do something with the heart.

Allura's brows furrowed and twitched, her expression tense as she focused. In her mind, she asked the heart to reveal to her the truth. In her mind's eye, she saw the entire galaxy flash before her. She felt as if her brain was traveling at the speed of light. The image shifted to a Galra ship, then its interior where it came and went so quickly she could hardly make out the details. The image of an ugly old hag with jagged teeth, purple skin and glowing yellow eyes was what caused her to snap out of her concentration.

Allura's heart was racing, droplets of sweat trailed down from her forehead. She let out a terrified scream and felt light headed. Her vision was blurry and she fell to her knees.

"Allura!" Keith quickly caught her in his arms, crunching down so she could sit. She held the heart close to her heart.

(~)

The ugly croon screeched in pain before falling back, clenching her chest. A couple of cloak weeping masked Druids approached her. One tilting its head in confusion. The old woman swatted them away, her jaw clenched and she slapped her fist into the surface of the floor. Right before chuckling maliciously.

"Like father like daughter."

(~)

"Allura, can you hear me?"

It took a while for Allura's vision to clear up. Upon seeing her friend's face, the princess could breath a sigh of relief. She was on her knees, with Keith's arms wrapped around her protectively, her head resting on his shoulder. She blinked a few times before siting upright. The heart still clenched in her hand. Upon opening her palm, she noticed the stone was now covered in some kind of blue material, before solidifying itself. It was split two ways, which would allow Allura to lift the lid to reveal the stone.

"I'm alright." she said. Seeing Keith's dagger on the floor, she picked it up and placed the now covered stone back from where it was. Whenever she lifted the lid, it appeared almost like a locket. She handed it to Keith, who took it in his hand. "Keep it safe."

"What did you do to it?"

"I'll explain latter, I promise. Right now, you need to trust me. You have to keep the heart with you at all times. Shiro entrusted it to you for a reason, and I believe it too. Promise you will keep it safe."

Keith was still a bit uncertain about this, especially with why Allura had nearly passed out. Maybe it was the reality of the obvious supernatural occurrences he had witnessed in the last few hours, or perhaps it was the look of sincerity in the princess's eyes. But, none the less, Keith trusted the princess.

"I promise." he said.

"And, Keith."

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for catching me again." Allura's cheeks turned red at not only the fact that she was still on the floor…but also that Keith still had his arm wrapped around her. In all honestly, she didn't mind at all. If anything, having his strong arms wrapped around her made her heart skip a beat, and the fact that he chivalrously caught her before her head hit the floor was especially sweet.

Realizing just how close they were, which was technically the second time it happened, and helped her to her feet. "I, uh, s-sure, n-no problem." Keith felt as if his tongue would fall right out of his mouth. If he didn't know any better, he could have sworn the temperature had increased inside the lion.

"We should, probably see how the others are doing." he said, trying to change the subject. Allura simply nodded in agreement and followed him out. Once outside, she still heard the lion growl something for only Allura to hear. The princess blushed at the comment.

"You're lucky we don't have cat kennels big enough on Altea." she muttered under her breath, only for the lion to nuzzle her with its mechanical nose, making her giggle.

(~)

After a while, Pidge had finished with the portable particle barrier. A group of younger Arusians circled around her, watching her work her techno magic on the object. Once she was finished, she placed the circular object right in the center of the village. With a tap of the neon blue button, and the crystal shimmering inside of it, a beam shot upwards into the air, and a transparent clear blue hued dam expanded, covering the entire Arusian village, and a few acres of forests.

The young girl jumped in victory, "Alright!" she was then tackled by a few of the Arusian children, who felt so cuddly. She blushed and patted their heads. "Okay, you're all very welcome."

At the same time, Hunk wiped the sweat from his brow. "Okay, I think we're good."

"Fantastic!" Coran wiped his hands clean, "Even if we don't survive this, we can proudly say we did our best!" he said, in a surprisingly enthusiastic tone, with a smile and snap of the fingers to match. Balto whimpered and hid behind Lance, while Allura's space mice hid inside Hunk's pockets, also shivering.

Lance and hunk shared the same terrified looks. "You know, for an old you, you're kind of scary." Lance said.

Pidge hurried inside the ship, beaming with pride. "Good news! The particle barrier is up and ready!"

"Great! We just finished with the lasers." Lance said with a salute.

"Where are Keith and Allura?" Pidge asked.

"Probably "sitting in a tree" inside the lion, if you know what I mean." Lance said, using air quotes for "sitting in a tree", not even bothering to hide his sly smile.

"How can a tree fit inside that lion? It makes no sense." Coran said, scratching his head in confusion.

Right on cue, Balto barked and ran outside to greet Keith. The mice scurried out of Hunk's pockets and ran up to the princess, who took them in her hands. "Did you find the tracking device?" Hunk asked.

"No." Keith replied, shaking his head, "Turns out, Zarkon could possibly be tracking us through the heart."

"Ha! I knew that rock was trouble!" Lance exclaimed, pointing an accusing finger at the stone in Keith's dagger.

"Don't worry. I was able to shield it with my magic. I'm not sure if I severed the connection entirely, but we should be safe for now."

"For now? Oh yeah, that makes me feel so much better!" Lance crossed his arms and pouted.

Pidge rolled her eyes, "Anyway, we got the particle barrier up and running, and the ship is all set."

"And just in time too!" Coran began tampering with his techpad, "According to my calculations, that Galra battle ship orbiting Arus should be arriving any minute."

"They're here already?!" Keith asked in shock.

"Yes. Seems my calculations were a tiny bit off. Finger counting is more of an art than a science." just then, the alarm of the ship went off again and the ground beneath them began to tremble. Looking up, they could see something falling from the sky. From a distance it appeared like a comet, with an aura of red, orange and yellow around it. The Arusians down bellow began to scream in terror and Coran started to sweat. "Oh, quiznak!"

Everyone rushed towards the village, seeing the Arusians in a state of panic. "Everyone get inside and stay down!" Allura ordered. The Arusians rushed to their respected homes as quickly as they could.

"I'm on it!" Hunk called out as he too ran alongside the little aliens to take cover. Allura arched an eyebrow at this, until Keith came by, dragging his friend by the collar of his jacket.

"Not you!" as Keith dragged Hunk away, the poor fellow started to cry.

"Pidge, you remain with the Arusians and keep that particle barrier from breaking." the princess said to the redhead.

"I'm on it!"

"Coran, you, Keith, Lance and Hunk take the ship. Wait for my signal."

"What about you?" Keith asked with concern.

Allura nodded her head towards the red lion, who swished its tail back and forth. The princess smiled. "I've got my own ride." she ran towards the lion, only for Keith to run after her.

"You sure you know what you're doing?" Keith asked with great concern.

"I already know how to pilot a military ship. Besides, Red and I are bonded, I'm pretty sure I can figure it out."

"What's he gonna do? Claw the Galra's furniture?" Lance said, using his hands to resemble claws and pretending to scratch an invisible couch.

Coran stepped forward, "Princess, I'm afraid I can not allow you to go on that…thing all by yourself."

"I'm not a child, Coran!" Allura protested, "We'll need all the help we can get. Besides, I won't be alone." the red lion growled softly behind her, gently nuzzling her body with its nose.

"Princess, my job is to keep you safe." said Coran, "You may have been able to pilot a military ship, but what if something happened to you?"

"Nothing's going to happen." Keith said as he too steppe forward to face the princess. "I'm going with you."

Allura sighed in frustration. "Keith, not you too."

"I'm not going as your bodyguard, just as backup. You're right, we'll need all the help we can get. Coran will have two co-pilots and Pidge can look out for the Arusians. You'll have me and Red."

Allura thought about it for a moment, and it was hard to argue with that logic. She smiled. "Alright, then."

"We better move fast!" Pidge pointed her finger towards the sky, where the Galra ship was entering the atmosphere faster than expected. Not only that, but a flet of smaller Galra ships began descending as well.

Pidge, along with Balto, the mice and several of the Arusian warriors stood beside her as she kept tabs on the portable barrier. Tapping on the surface, holographic screens appeared around her. The The smaller Galra ships circled around the village like vultures, shooting laser rays at the barrier. Each impact created a small explosion. Puffs of red and yellow clouds spread across the barrier. So far, the village was safe.

Keith's eyes widened in horror upon seeing the largest ship unleash a powerful purple beam directly at the village. Instinctively, Keith shielded Allura, who ducked in cover, as did Hunk, Lance and Coran, just as the beam hit. The barrier had been engulfed in a fiery inferno, so powerful it shook the village. Arusians held their loved ones while safely within their homes. The king shielded his subjects fearlessly until the fires cleared.

"An ion cannon! They have an ion cannon!" Hunk screamed in terror before grabbing Keith by the collar of his shirt, "I don't care what you said before, Keith, _I'm panicking now!_ "

The barrier was still up, but the coordinates on Pidge's screen were flaring red. "With every blast the barrier gets weaker! I can hold it up for as long as I can, but if you guys plan on fighting back you better do it now!" no sooner after the words left her mouth, another blast from the Galra's cannon hit the barrier, once again engulfing it in a cloud of red and yellow, causing it to shake once more. Parts of the barrier began to pixelate and flash on and off.

"Everyone, let's move!" at Keith's command everyone rushed to their respected ships. Coran, Hunk and Lance to the ship, while Keith and Allura entered the red lion once more. The princess took the controls, now with more confidence as the screen allowed her to see through the lion's eyes. Keith stood by her side, one hand gripping the chair. As if by natural instinct, Allura knew exactly what to do to control the lion's movements. The creature rose from its position on the ground, letting out a mighty roar. Both Keith and Allura smiled and gave a haughty laugh once the creature was up in the air. Fire shoot from hits lower paws, allowing it to fly like any other space ship, alongside the military one currently piloted by Coran, and flew right out from the barrier.

From inside, Hunk, Lance and Coran looked in awe at how effortlessly the princess appeared to be powering the mechanical beast. "What do they teach princesses now a days?!" Lance asked.

Coran drove his ship forward, pulling a lever while unleashed the lasers. The blue beams shot directly at the incoming Galra ships, striking them at the wings. Two of them had already gone down and Coran did another lap to blast several more.

Hunk pointed to Coran's left, "Incoming!"

The Altean shot the ships without hesitation. The beam cut right through the wing of one ship, while simultaneously hitting another that came right behind it. Lance and Hunk cheered as they watched the two ships go down.

Keith gripped the side of the chair, though he did so for safety reasons, he felt an overwhelming adrenaline rush just by being inside the lion. The lion spun rapidly across the sky, avoiding the incoming lasers from the Galra. "Hang on tight." Allura said, "He likes to go fast."

"I like fast." he replied, "So, any ideas on what this thing can do?"

"I think so." Allura pushed the controls forward and the lion charged at one of the incoming ships. With its mighty jaw, it grabbed the wing and flung it back, causing it to crash into another incoming ship. The two exploded and fell from the sky.

"Whoa! Nice one!" Keith commented.

"Oh, I'm just getting started." Allura smirked, tapping her fingers onto the holographic computer screen around her. The lion opened its mouth, unleashing a powerful beam from its out. The intensity was so lethal it blasted five to seven ships right out of the sky.

Keith was beyond impressed, until he noticed an incoming ship heading their way. "Allura, to your left!"

The princess reacted immediately and shot the beam at the incoming ship, striking several more in the process. "Thanks."

"Anytime."

Back at the village, Pidge stared in amazement at the raw power of the red lion. "Whoa. Cool!" she said, only to flinch when the various other Galra ship unleashed another beam from their ion cannon. "Seriously? What is it with these Galra and the shooting?"

Back in the sky, the military ship and the red lion continued striking down the ships. So far, it appeared that they were winning. Lance and Hunk cheered victoriously as Coran stroked yet another fleet of ships. "Alright!" Hunk cheered, "Nice shooting Coran!"

"Well, I couldn't have done it without your help in converting the laser's power."

A holographic image appeared before them, revealing to be Allura. Keith stood beside her. "Excellent job, Coran!"

"Thank you, Princess."

"Now let's deal with that ion canoon."

"Wait, we're going for the cannon?" Hunk trembled, "Nobody said anything about going for the cannon.

"Wait, do you guys feel that?" Lance said, suddenly sensing a disturbance. Why is the ship going so slow?"

Coran tampered with the controls, realizing they weren't responding. "I don't know. I seem to have lost control."

"So have I!" Allura said, trying to reel her lion back.

Keith looked up, his purple eyes widening. "Uh, guys, I think I know why. Look up!"

"What the cheese?" Lance said, seeing that their ship and the red lion were being all sucked up by a tractor beam, curtesy of Sendak's ship.

From down bellow, Pidge's hands trembled in terror, "No!"

From inside his ship, Sendak smiled wickedly. "Send a report to Emperor Zarkon." he said to his crew, showing his sharp teeth, "The day is ours."

His ship unleashed one more beam from his ion cannon, this time completely destroying the barrier all together. Pidge shielded herself, as did the rest of the Arusians. She looked up in despair. Without the barrier, the village was completely defenseless. Balto stood protectively beside her and she held the coyote pup close.

Keith and Allura gasped upon seeing the barrier down. "Oh, no." Keith whispered. One of his best friends was still down there, and now they were at the mercy of the Galra.

Hunk and Lance gripped the chair while Coran continuously tried to take back control of the ship, but to no avail. "It can't end like this!" Lance said, his eyes already filling with tears. "I still haven't found the future Ms. Martinez!"

"And there are so many exotic foods I never got to try!" Hunk said, crying as well. Both he and Lance held onto each other, hugging while crying. "I love you, man!"

"I love you too, buddy!"

The princess grunted, sweat dripping from her brows as she tried to regain control of the lion. Keith pulled out his dagger, lifting the lid up and seeing the stone giving off a dim glow. Shiro's words echoed in his mind.

 _"I've already done my part. I found the lion. Now, the rest is up to you….Find Voltron."_

A look of pure determination edged on his face and he placed a hand on the princess's shoulder. "This isn't over." he said fiercely, "We can still win this. We are the universe's only hope."

"I don't know what else to do." Allura said, "I can't regain control."

"You're bonded with the lion. He's got to have more features than shooting beams from his mouth. Just listen to him. You can do this."

Allura took in a deep breath and closed her eyes. She concentrated on the lion. Her lion. Red growled softly in her ears. The knowledge sinking into her brain as seamlessly as poring water into a cup. In a few short moments, her eyes flew open. A fervid flame burned within her and she automatically pulled on her controls.

Suddenly, the back of her lion began to glow a bright blue. Coran, Lance and Hunk watched as something began to take shape. Once the light cleared, upon the red lion's back was a large railgun hoisted on the lion's back. With intense emotion, Allura activated the railgun. A powerfully intense beam began to form before shooting directly at the ion cannon, causing it to explode in a fiery inferno.

Sendak felt his ship quack at the impact. Once the beam disappeared, the military ship and the red lion were free. Hunk and Lance, who were still hugging one another, finally released, inspecting themselves to see that there was no physical damage.

"We're alive?" Lance blinked before cheering, "We're alive!"

Keith couldn't believe his own eyes. The red lion was free, and Allura had managed to active one of its abilities. The princess felt an intense adrenaline rush coursing through her. Without hesitation, she flew towards the Galra ship, shooting a powerful beam at the ion cannon. The blast managed to break part of it. Allura attempted again, this time causing even more damage. On the third and final blow, did the cannon explode into two. One half flew off of the ship, landing somewhere far off the Arusian village.

The lion landed onto the surface of the ship, digging its claws onto it, ripping the metal to bits before shooting the beam right through it. From inside, Sendak tumbled but quickly adjusted himself, seeing the red lion once again dig its claws to the side of the ship, shooting the railgun right at it. The beam went right through the ship, causing yet another explosion. The interior began to crumble and Sendak and his second in command ran away in fear, escaping in one of the pods before the red lion charged in once more.

Allura let out a wild and angry yell as she came in like a torpedo, the beam shooting a powerful ray and she went right through the ship, coming out from the other side. The ship caught fire, exploding in a hot inferno, the golden clouds merging with the rays of the sunlight as the mighty beast landed firmly on the ground, watching the remains of the ship fall to the ground as the cloud expanded.

The remaining ships fled the scene, once the ship was destroyed. From down bellow the Arusians cheered victoriously. Pidge breathed a sigh of relief.

Hunk, Lance and Coran cheered victoriously. Meanwhile, Allura was catching her breath. In her rush, traces of her silvery white hair had fallen onto her forehead. Once it was all over, the railgun disappeared in a patch of sparkling blue particles and the princess laughed.

Keith couldn't help but laugh victoriously as well, His head tilting back as he gripped the chair. "You did it! I knew you could!"

"Did…did I really just do that?"

"Heck yeah, you did!"

Allura tilted her head back, taking in slow deep breath. "Wow. I need a moment. I think my heart's about to burst." she smiled at Keith. "Thanks. We make a petty good team."

Keith smiled in return. "Yeah. We do."

(~)

In space, Sendak growled in frustration. His anger only got worse when his Emperor appeared on the screen. While Zarkon was often calm and collected most of the time, only those who worked with him knew that underneath his physique resided a powerhouse of anger and mercilessness.

"I'm sorry, Emperor Zarkon. We could not retrieve the red lion."

"I am aware of that." Zarkon said, his voice cold and chilling.

"Rest assured, I will not fail you again."

"Return to me at once, Sendak."

"But, Emperor-"

"Do not question my orders. Return. Now."

Sendak hid his terror exceptionally well as he nodded his head. "Yes, Emperor."

(~)

The Arusians cheered once Allura and Keith exited the lion. The same went for when Coran, hunk and Lance exited the military ship. Pidge ran over and hugged Keith, relieved to see him in one piece.

Lance surprised Keith by getting him into a headlock and ruffling his hair. Hunk lifted all three of them in a giant bear hug. Balto leaped into Keith's arms, licking his face. Coran hugged the princess, sighing in relief to see she was completely unharmed.

The Arusian king bowed before them. "Paladins, we thank you for saving our village. As a reward, we shall have a glorious feast in your honor!"

Allura bowed in respect. "Thank you, you're majesty. And, if it's not too much trouble, could you also assist us with supplies and food for our journey? And perhaps a place to sleep for the night?"

"Why, of course, my dear."

"Wait, supplies?" Lance asked.

Allura nodded, "Yes. Now that we have the red lion, we're going to need to search for the other four. They're spread out in different planets across the galaxy. No doubt we're going to get hungry along the way."

Coran blinked in surprise, "Princess, you're really going through with this?"

"Of course. Coran, this is our chance to finally defeat Zarkon. To end this war that has plagued the universe for centuries. I understand you're job is to protect me, but this is something me and my friends must do. I'm going with them to find the lions. Don't try and stop me."

Keith, Lance, Hunk and Pidge stared with widened eyes at the princess's fierce and steadfast reply. Hunk rose his hand, "Um, nobody asked us what we thought about this whole thing." he said.

Allura stepped back, realizing he was right. She was so determined to tell Coran how dedicated she was to this mission she had already assumed they all wholehearted agreed with her as well.

"I'm still not sure about all of this. I mean, traveling the entire galaxy to find some lost robot lions?"

"Are you serious?" Keith asked in disbelief, "After everything that just happened, and knowing what this could all mean, you still want to back out?"

"Look, Keith, you're my friend and I love you, but this whole adventure, thrill seeking stuff is more your speed, not mine."

"Yeah, Hunk's right." said Lance, placing his hands into his pockets. "I'm all for some adventure, but this is crazy. How are a bunch of teenagers, a princess and some old guy gonna save the universe?"

"Sounds like a challenge to me." Pidge said, while holding Balto in her arms. "Besides, you heard what Allura said. We are destined to pilot these lions. I know we may not sound like the right people for the job, but we can't just turn back now. My brother risked his life every day while he was a military pilot, and Shiro sacrificed himself to keep the red lion out of Zarkon's hands. Wether you like it or not, this is real."

Lance looked at his half-Galra friend. "Keith, you're not really thinking about going through with this, are you? Pidge is right, this stuff is real. We almost didn't make it last time. Are you really going to go through with it?"

Keith looked down at the white stone on his dagger, then at his friends and over to Allura. Lance made a good point, his wasn't going to be easy. If anything, there was no guarantee they would make it out of this alive. Not to mention, he wasn't sure if he was meant to be the Black Lion's paladin. He still didn't believe that was so. Still, he had come this far. If he turned away now, he would regret it for the rest of his life. Besides, Shiro did give up his life for this one stone, knowing what it contained. He swore he would complete Shiro's mission, no matter what it took.

"I'm sorry, Lance. I can't back away from this. I hope you understand." Keith looked downcast, "If you guys want to go home…you can go."

Allura was about to protest, knowing that without them they couldn't form Voltron. However, she held her tongue, allowing for the others to make their own choice.

Lance was the first to speak. "You're an idiot."

Keith looked at him in confusion. "What?"

"You really think we're going to let you get all the glory and be the big shot hero who saves the universe? Ha! Fat chance!"

"I'm on too." Pidge said, "All the way."

Keith smiled in gratitude. All eyes turned to Hunk, who dropped his arms in defeat. "Well, if I'm gonna die, might as well be with my best friends."

Allura smiled happily, only to look at Coran with pleading eyes. The older Altean sighed in defeat. "Alright. But I'm coming with to make sure you kids get back home safely. Your father's going to have a fit, but I'm sure we'll work something out."

"Oh, thank you, Coran! Thank you!" Allura wrapped her arms around him, nearly suffocating the poor old man. He patted her back, while trying not to pass out due to his fading oxygen. Once she released him, Coran inhaled deeply.

"So, it's settled!" she said, feeling all the more excited, "We're all in this together."

(~)


	7. Chapter 7

(~)

That night, the Arusians held a grand festival for their heroes. Female Arusians danced, showering their guests with flower petals. Hunk played games with the children, as did Lance. Coran happily told some of his old war tales, which left the Arusian warriors staring in awe. Balto played fetch with a few of the children, while Pidge introduced the Arusians to video games. Allura was happily chatting with the king and several of his subjects, all the while female Arusians showered the red lion with flowers. The mecha cat shook them off his head, making Allura giggle.

Keith, however, kept his distance, leaning against a nearby tree, watching as everyone else participated in the festivities. It wasn't that he didn't feel included, it was just that Keith wasn't much of a party person. If anything, whenever there was a festival or special event, nobody, aside from his friends, ever made him feel welcome. This was one of the rare times where someone else have purposely invited him to join in the fun. It was very new and strange for Keith, he didn't know how to respond. Everybody else managed to socialize almost effortlessly well, while he didn't even know how to begin small talk. Even when he first met Allura she was the one who incited the conversation. He didn't even know what to say.

Still, it as hard for him not to feel some form of joy and satisfaction. Here he was, on a strange alien planet with his three best friends, pet coyote, and this spitfire of a princess who managed to literally drag them all the way across the universe in the blink of an eye. A smile formed across his face as he watched Allura laugh alongside the Arusians. She had mentioned she wasn't all that sociable when around other people, but her interactions with the Arusians said otherwise. Then again, she didn't behave like a regal sophisticated princess. She acted like…well, like an ordinary person happily spending time with others. Maybe if this were a literal royal gala or so he would see things differently. Keith had seen Allura once or twice on the news alongside her father whenever they held these royal parties. Allura was always the eye catching beauty that men would wait in line just to have one dance with her. In those times, she appeared very controlled and poised, but here she was…

Free.

"Enjoying the view?"

Keith flinched when he heard Lance sneaking up from behind him. The tan skinned cuban descendant boy held a glass cup of pinkish liquid in his hand, and his free hand behind his back.

"You know I hate it when you do that!"

Lance simply shrugged while wearing a smug smile and turned his attention to Allura. The music had started playing again, and the little Arusians asked the princess to dance with them. She happily complied. Lance's grin only grew bigger once he noticed the look on Keith's face as she moved gracefully alongside the little aliens. Even Balto happily barked and jumped around beside her. Her long silver hair moved like sea foam as the waved crashed into the shoreline. Her laugher rivaled the sound of jingling bells.

So entranced by the princess, Keith was brought back to reality when Lance nudged his arm. "Well, what are you waiting for? Go dance with her."

"Are you crazy? I can't dance."

"Neither can Hunk, but that's not stopping him." Lance gestured to Hunk who was, for some reason, doing the robot with the Arusians. The little aliens laughed and mimicked his moves. Lance gave Keith a gentle nudge, "Come on, man, go for it."

Keith rose an eyebrow, arms still folded over his chest. "Hold on a second. You've done nothing but bicker with her since we left Altea, and now you're telling me to make a move?"

"Hey, don't get me wrong, she's stubborn, unpredictable, snarky, and seems to have some kind of compulsion for piloting…she reminds me a lot of you. You got on my nerves the first time we met."

"That's because you challenged me to a hover bike race after you saw I was faster, and thought I was trying to one up you."

"And we've been best buds/friendly rivals ever since." Lance said with a proud smile. "You know, after I beat you."

"What are you talking about? _I_ beat _you_."

"Details, details." Lance shrugged it off before wrapping one arm around his friend, "My point is, when the universe is merciful enough to give you that one chance at true love, you don't just sit idly by and let pass. You take by the horns and you nerve look back. All the while sweet violin music plays out of nowhere" Lance said, pretending to play an invisible violin. The expressive young lad contrasting with Keith's calm and rather stoic posture as he watched in concern. It was no wonder he was still single.

"Eh, I don't really think I'm her type." Keith said, looking crestfallen.

"And why not?" Lance asked, ceasing to pretend to play the violin. "This Galra business again? You know, what's wrong with being half and half, I'd like to know. Heck, I'm a proud half cuban half puerto rican, with a pinch of Irish on my dad's side."

"Irish? Really?"

"It's very far back. So, you have a mixed heritage, so what? She doesn't seem to mind."

The music continued to play on, and Allura spun around gracefully, her short skirt billowing as she twirled. The very thought of dancing with her made Keith feel all shaky and anxious. It was easier to talk to her, or at lest less stressful when it was just the two of them (along with the coyote and mice), but with all of these people…he was more hesitant than ever. She didn't appear to mind that he was half Galra, but Keith just because she was okay with it didn't mean her father would be. Or anybody else for that matter. Lance, Hunk and Pidge already received some criticisms just for knowing Keith, he wouldn't want the same to happen to Allura. Not to mention, given her father's less than positive history with the Galra, he would no doubt show even hesitation to allowing his daughter to socialize with him. Shiro may have mentioned various times that King Alfor was a kind and accepting man, but he saw the hesitation in his eyes during Shiro's funeral. he may have held a polite mask all throughout, but there was no mistaking his true feelings.

Keith's eyes looked away. "Look, it's been a long day. I think I'm gonna turn in early." as he prepared to leave, Lance stopped him by placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, I didn't mean to offend you. Just trying to help ya out, _hermano._ "

"I'm fine. I'm just tired. We've got a long trip ahead of us." with that, Keith walked away, leaving the party. As he did, Allura caught the boy retreating to his sleeping quarters the Arusians had prepared for him and the others. The princess looked on in regret.

(~)

A wet tongue caused Keith's eyes to twitch and he sprung upwards from his bed, wiping the saliva from his mouth in disgust. "Ah! Balto!" the little coyote pup barked and Keith's vision became more focused. He quickly exited the small room and stepped outside. However, rather than seeing the planet of Arus, he was surrounded by a very, very familiar field of flowers, and a town not too far off. He took a tentative step forward, resting his hand against a tree.

"Altea?" he asked himself. There was no mistaking the scenery for anything else. "I'm…I'm home?"

The ground began to rumble and the once clear blue skies suddenly turned blood red. The sun was blocked by dark and gray colored clouds that swarmed over him like a vortex. From the black hole in the sky came a platoon of Galra ships, from all sizes, from small to large. The wind picked up and Keith struggled to cement his feet to the ground. He heard the sound of people screaming in terror as the lasers struck the ground, destroying the beautiful wildlife and the town nearby.

" _Keith!_ "

"Lance?" he shielded his eyes, the desert sands rising upwards and making it difficult to see the town up ahead. He spotted four familiar figures running away from the incoming lasers. More voices called out his name.

" _Keith!_ "

" _Keith!_ "

"Hunk? Pidge?"

His friends ran as quickly as they could as more incoming blasts nearly struck them down. One impact made the ground beneath them rise up and they fell to submission.

"No!" Keith ran towards them, seeing Lance, Pidge and Hunk huddle together, while Allura reached out her hand, desperately trying to grab his. He reached out, but it was too late. The sand had engulfed her entirely, taking his friends along with it.

"Allura!"

The sand spiraled around him. There was nothing left but a deserted sand-like environment. Fire fell from the sky, and the vortex grew in size. All around him, Keith saw an army of Galra soldiers marching towards him. Sparks of ember rose upwards from the ground and spiraled around them. Puffs of black smoke emerged from behind them. Just above, the biggest Galra ship hovered above Keith and everything else.

He began to tremble once he felt his clothes suddenly began heavier. Looking down, he gasped in horror to see his ordinary cloths had somehow transformed into the proper Galra soldier attire. In his hand was his blade, but he didn't see the Heart of Voltron on it. On both sides, the insignia of the Galra were present.

"No. Not, it can't be!"

A horrid laughter echoed in his mind. The environment disappeared. There was nothing but darkness, and an army of marching Galra soldiers all around him.

" _You can't run from me."_ the voice taunted. Keith gazed at his blade, expecting to see his reflection. He did, but instead of seeing the face of a normal human being, he saw the hideous, monstrous yellow eyed face of a Galra.

" _You can never run from me!"_

 _(~)_

Keith sprung from his bed, gasping for air. His heart was racing rapidly. He ran outside and breathed a deep sigh of relief upon seeing the red lion standing laying down outside and the village of small houses. He was on still on Arus. It was only a dream.

Balto whimpered and nuzzled his face against his leg. Keith crunched down and petted his head. "I'm alright, boy." he said before wiping the sweat from his brow with the back of his wrist. He didn't feel much like going back to sleep, so instead he chose to take a walk outside. Back on Altea, late night walks always managed to calm him down. Balto happily tagged along beside him.

The cool nighttime breeze was already doing its job in placing Keith's troubled mind at ease. His ears picked up the sound of the Arusian wildlife playing their soothing melody. However, the more he listened, the more he realized that those were not just the sound of crickets…but an actual person singing.

 _Ancient words, across an ocean of time_

 _Written in the stone, out of flesh and bone_

 _Echoing through history_

 _Battles that were fought_

 _Heroes who have been adored_

Balto's ears perked upwards, indicating he too had heard the voice. The little pup followed the sound, with Keith close behind. The sound was coming from the red lion. Rather odd, Keith thought. He moved towards the side of the beast and quickly stepped back.

Allura was sitting beside the lion, petting its side while singing a soft melody.

 _Oh, sometimes it's not about the prize_

 _When you and your darkest fears are standing eye to eye_

 _And you're looking for a hero, to carry you away_

 _Riding on the wings of angels_

 _Someone to save the day_

 _From the mountains to the desert_

 _You can search your whole life through_

 _Until you realize the hero_

 _Was always there with you_

The mice, who had been sitting on her shoulder the entire time, suddenly began to squeak in alarm. Allura stood up, taking a defensive stance, only to see Balto rush up to her. The princess quickly calmed down. She also noticed Keith hiding behind the lion, taking a hesitant step forward.

"Keith?"

The boy wanted to slap himself so badly right now. She probably thought he was eavesdropping on her or something. "Oh, uh, good evening, princess."

"What are you doing up?"

"I might ask you the same question." he replied, mirroring the last time they had seen one another while sneaking around in the middle of the night.

"I couldn't sleep so I thought I'd spend some time with Red." she said, petting his sides. Allura blushed and placed her hair behind her ear in the most adorable manner. "I guess that means you heard me?"

"It was nice." he said, making her blush deepen. He quickly caught what he said and tried to correct his choice of words. "The song, it sounds nice. I mean, your voice sounds nice too but, what I mean is-" he pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling humiliated, even more than he already did. "Never mind."

Allura giggled softly. "So, why are you here? I answered your question, so now you answer mine."

"I couldn't sleep either. Probably from all the excitement." he said, hoping he sounded convincing enough. The last thing he wanted was to just pliantly say he had a nightmare about the Galra. He really didn't want to talk about it, especially not now.

"Yes, today was pretty spectacular." she said. The lion growled softly upon her touch. Keith gained the courage to pet the lion as well. He was a bit surprised he seemed just as relax with him as he was with Allura. "He really likes you." said the princess.

"Probably because we're wearing the same color." Keith joked, pointing at his red and white jacket. He was a bit surprised when Allura giggled again.

"Thank you."

"For what?" Keith asked.

"For not giving up on me back there. When I couldn't regain control of the lion, I really thought we were done for. Yet, you refused to give up so easily." she smiled, "I can see why the heart chose you to pilot the black lion."

Upon saying this, Keith looked away, crestfallen. "Yeah, about that. You really sure that's what the heart said?"

"You still doubt it?"

"I just think there are better options. I'm not exactly leader material."

"I think you're more capable than you realize."

"I highly doubt one pep talk is enough to make me qualify as a leader. Besides, how can I even pilot the black lion if I've never piloted before?"

"You'll know. Once you've bonded with the lion you'll know by instinct."

Keith sighed sadly. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bother you with this."

Allura placed a hand on his shoulder. "Keith…if you're scared, it's okay to say so."

The young man bit his bottom lip before replying, "Alright, yes I'm scared! Are you happy?" Allura stepped back in surprise and Keith immediately regretted his responce. He face palmed himself in frustration. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to blow up like that."

"No, it's okay."

"It's not. I know you're just trying to help."

Allura's pointed ears flickered a bit, hearing the red lion speak to her again. A soft smile formed across her lips. "You know, if you're that nervous about piloting the black lion, then why not get in some practice?"

"Huh?" Keith tilted his head in the most adorable way Allura has ever seen. She got him by surprise when she grabbed him by the arm and led him to the lion's mouth, which opened, allowing them to enter. Once inside the control room, Allura offered Keith the driver seat.

"You're not serious, are you?"

"Come, it'll be fun! I promised you piloting lessons, and I am a princess of my word."

"I don't know. We shouldn't leave the planet."

"We won't. We'll just fly across the sky for a while. Besides, it's night, it'll be no different if we were in space."

Keith hesitantly traced his fingers across the dashboard. "You sure he'll let me?"

"Of course he will." she reached out her hand, taking Keith's. The action made his face turn redder than his jacket. "Do you trust me?"

For a moment, Keith froze as he gazed into Allura's eyes. His heart raced, feeling the warmth of her hand on his. He smiled in return and gave a small nod. Still holding his hand, Keith sat on the chair, and Allura placed his hand on one of the controls. He hesitantly took the second and commanded the lion to move. He let out a small yelp, hoping Allura didn't hear it, and the lion rose from the ground.

Keith inhaled and exhaled to try and calm his nerves. It was strange, he had been inside the lion with Allura earlier today, but now that he as actually attempting to pilot a mystical mechanical lion, he became suddenly very self-cautious. Allura didn't appear bothered by this, however. She seemed perfectly calm and confident, smiling in encouragement for Keith to continue forward.

"Okay, I think I got it." he said, getting a firm grip on the controls.

"Just run towards that hill over there." she said, pointing her finger forward. "And then take off."

"Well, here goes nothing."

Keith did as Allura instructed and made the lion run towards the hill. He already knew the creature was fast, but it was a bit different now that he was in control. He kept his eyes forward, and with a mischievous smile the lion leaped up from the hill, its rockets activating. Before long, the red lion was soaring across the Arusian night sky.

Allura and Keith laughed victoriously as the success. Keith noticed just how small the Arusian village was becoming, and how vast the night sky was. Allura was right, while they didn't plan on leaving the Arusian atmosphere, being out at night was the second best thing as being out in space. The clouds blurred as they speeded onwards.

Keith couldn't suppress himself from smiling as widely as he did. He had already had a taste of being on a ship and going into space, but now he was actually piloting. He was the one in control this time. It was everything he ever hoped for.

"This is incredible!" he said, right before a wild idea popped into his mind.

"Okay, now dive down." Allura instructed.

"What?"

"Don't worry, you'll be fine. Pull up on my signal."

Keith complied, albeit rather confused, and pushed his controls forward. Allura held tightly to the chair as the ground came into full view. A large lake was just beneath them.

"Okay…now!"

At Allura's command, Keith pulled the controls and the lion soared across the surface of the lake. The minerals reflected off of the water, creating a rainbow effect. Keith stared in awe at the display.

"Wow!"

Allura giggled, ruffling Keith's hair. "I told you you'd be fine."

Keith laughed and proceeded to pilot the lion, once again soaring across the sky. In his mind, he wished Shiro could have been here to see him pilot for the first time. But, before he would allow his sadness to take over, he realized that if Shiro were here he would want his little brother to enjoy himself.

 _I can show you the world_

 _Shinning, shimmering, splendid_

 _For the first time, let go of your fears_

 _Let your heart decide_

With Allura teaching him more and more tricks, Keith listened without hesitation. To his surprise, he did exceptionally well. Even Allura was impressed by his skills. Then again, he did have prior knowledge of piloting, it was only a matter of actually doing it.

 _I can open your eyes_

 _Take you wonder by wonder_

 _Over sideways and under_

 _On this enchanting cosmic ride_

The lion over mountains, maneuvering various hills and ridges, all the while the two admired the beauty, seeing a variety of plants and wildlife down bellow. For this moment, all of Keith's worries and doubts had completely disappeared from his mind. The indescribable feeling of the experience was beyond words. Even Allura could hardly believe any of this was real. A day ago, she was still in Altea, and now she was seeing a brand new planet, and no doubt there would be more sights for the two to see.

 _A whole new world_

 _A new fantastic point of view_

 _No one to tell us no_

 _Or where to go_

 _Or say we're only dreaming_

The lion flew around a high mountain, going higher and higher as clouds formed around it. The lion spiraled in mid-flight, as if it were dancing, before going up into the clouds. Allura showed Keith the trick to do a proper air flip, which she managed to do so well, and so fast it felt like a roller coaster. The entire time, the princess laughed alongside Keith. Neither of them felt terror in any of these stunts. If anything, after each one it made them hungry for more.

 _A whole new world_

 _A dazzling place I never knew_

 _But when I'm way up here_

 _It's crystal clear_

 _That now I'm on a whole new world with you_

 _Now I'm in a whole new world with you!_

Keith thought about almost every trick he would do on his hover bike back on Altea, and Allura would show him how he could perform the same ones in the sky. The stars seemed to twinkle even more as they flew higher, seeing various winged alien creatures fly by. Keith had never seen anything like them, and neither did Allura. Creatures like these weren't seen in Altea.

 _Unbelievable sights_

 _Indescribable feeling_

 _Soaring, tumbling, freewheeling_

 _Through an endless diamond sky_

Allura pointed towards the forest, and Keith didn't hesitate to go through it. The trees were as tall as buildings, with large colorful flowers and creatures of all sizes that came and went as the lion maneuvered the trees before flying back up. Leafs spiraled upwards once the lion surfaced. Unbeknownst to them, Red himself managed to get an exotic looking flower stuck on his mechanical paw.

Keith still couldn't believe this wasn't a dream. He couldn't remember the last time he smiled so much, and Allura couldn't remember the last time she felt this liberated. This completely beat ridding her bike on the fields. Keith shared the same sentiment. To think, everything they had ever wished for, everything they had ever hoped they could do but couldn't, they were doing right here, right now, away from all of that.

 _A whole new world_

 _(don't you dare close your eyes)_

 _A hundred thousand things to see_

 _(hold your breath it gets better)_

 _I'm like a shooting star_

 _I've come so far_

 _I can't go back to where I used to be_

The two caught sight of some deer-like creatures running across a vast desert-like field. Red slightly lowered so they could get a better view. The creatures looked so adorable, Allura wished she could pet one.

 _Every turn a surprise_

 _(with new horizons)_

 _Every moment red letter_

 _I'll chase them anywhere_

 _There's time to spare_

 _Let me share this whole new world with you_

Red took up once more, this time Keith decided to go a bit slower for a bit, just to take in the beauty of the stars that shinned like multiple diamonds around a wealthy woman's neck. To Allura, who had seen diamonds before, even they could never compare to the beauty of the stars themselves. Keith spotted another lake down bellow, and decided to try that nose dive one more time. In doing so, he made the waters create the rainbow effect again. He felt his cheeks redden when Allura's hand fell on his lower forearm, her eyes still on the sight before her. Keith admired the way her eyes sparkled with such avidity, just like they did back at the cave. Perhaps, in some say, the princess and him really were more alike than even he realized.

 _A whole new world_

 _(A whole new world)_

 _That's where we'll be_

 _(That's where we'll be)_

 _A thrilling chase_

 _A wondrous place_

 _For you and me_

(~)

Red rested on a hill, not too far from the village. Allura now wore the flower the lion had found in her hair, while she and Keith sat on his head, gazing at the stars.

"I could look at the stars forever." Allura said.

Keith nodded, his eyes still looking up. "Yeah." he noticed Allura rubbing her arms. "You cold?"

"A little."

Without thinking much of it, Keith removed his jacket and wrapped it around Allura's shoulders. The prince graciously accepted it, her cheeks turning red. Her eyes caught sight of the purple in Keith's arms, all the way up to his shoulders. He wore a black short sleeved shirt underneath his jacket. Once he realized his most horrid feature was exposed, Keith subconsciously tried pulling up his long black glove. Allura placed her hand over it. A silent way of saying it was not needed.

"Sorry. I'm not used to having these out in the open." he said, already feeling self cautious about his physical Galra trait.

"They're not so bad." Allura said, smiling kindly.

"How is that possible?"

"Well, it's not like you have claws or anything."

"No, I mean, how is it possible that you're not even the tiniest bit bothered by this." Keith gripped the lower half of his purple arm. "Even Lance, Hunk and Pidge had some reaction when they learned about my heritage, but you, you didn't even so much as bat an eye."

"Is that bad?" Allura asked in confusion. She didn't understand why it seemed to bother Keith that she wasn't bothered by his Galra half.

"No, it's just…I'm not used to it. I'm not used to people being 100% not afraid of me."

"Why would they be afraid of you? Just because you're half Galra?"

"Of course! What other reason would it be? The Galra has destroyed lives, enslaved entire civilizations. The galaxy is in ruins because of them!" the more he spoke of the Galra, the more Keith's voice rose in volume. "They don't care about anyone or anything. Taking one life is no different than swatting a fly with a windshield wiper. I don't blame anyone for hatting me."

"I understand your frustration, believe me what the Galra have done upsets me as well. They took my mother and my father has been scarred for life." the princess paused for a moment, looking a bit hesitant to continue. "But, at the same time…don't you think it's possible there could be at least a few good Galra out there?"

"If there were any, they've had ten thousand years to stop Zarkon, and so far I've yet to have seen or heard of one that didn't follow him without question."

"You don't." Allura pointed out. "You may be half human, but you're still Galra and you don't blindly follow Zarkon."

"That doesn't prove anything." Keith said, his eyes narrowing and turning his head away from her.

"It proves that it doesn't matter what's in your blood that matters, it's who you are! For all we know, Zarkon could have been brain washing his kind for decades to do whatever he wants! They probably don't know any better."

"How can you have so much sympathy towards those monsters anyway?"

"Because I know not everyone who's a Galra is automatically righteous!" Keith was silent, his eyes widening in shock as Allura took in a deep breath. "When I was young, I had a teacher who taught me to control my magic. She taught me everything she knows. But, one day, she was caught trying to murder my father in his sleep. I didn't understand why she would do that. I thought she considered us family." her eyes narrowed in anger, "Turns out all she wanted was power. She was sent to prison, but escaped. We never knew what happened to her until a few years ago when one of the military pilots informed us they had spotted her…with Zarkon."

Keith gasped. He had not heard of that before. To think, an Altean would trade sides and align with Zarkon, and all for the sake of power.

"Who knows if she's only one of many whom Zarkon as coaxed to her side." she turned to Keith, her eyes softening. "I don't blame you or anyone for their resentment towards the Galra, and aside from you, I have yet to meet a good Galra. But, after that experience, I wouldn't be surprised if they did exist."

Keith's eyes tensed, his fists clenching. "Let me tell you, they don't."

"There must be. What about your Galra parent? Every parent loves their child."

It was then, that Keith snapped. He stood up from where he sat, while Allura watched him blow up in front of her. "My father was just as much a monster as Zarkon!" he yelled, "He never knew me, and I never knew him! Which is fine because why in the universe would I ever want to meet a crocked sleazeball who kidnapped a married woman just for his own perverted amusement?! Then, after she gets pregnant, he leaves her and her newborn child to die! If she hadn't found that escape pod who knows what could have happened to us! You want proof not all Galra are bad? You won't find it! _I'm_ all the proof you need!"

Keith took in slow deep breaths, his muscles tensing while he pointed to himself. Allura looked up at him, not in fear, but with a look that screamed heartbreak. She felt as if tears would fall from her eyes upon hearing his sad tale.

The young man looked away in shame. "This is why I don't believe I'm fit to pilot the black lion. Why would the most powerful weapon in the universe ever choose someone like me?"

Allura stood upwards, placing a hand over his shoulder. "I'm sorry your father did that to you. You're right, I don't know if there really is such a thing as a good Galra. But, what I _do_ know is that what your father did doesn't determine who you are." Keith slowly turned to look at her, his eyes softening as she rose his arm up for him to look at. "Your brother was one of the most honest and selfless pilots I have ever met and he stood up for you every change he got. A man who loves his brother that unconditionally must be someone special. And I have seen the kind of person you truly are Keith, first hand."

Keith didn't know what else to say. The princess rendered him speechless. It was true, Shiro stood up for him whenever the opportunity called for it. Shiro always believed in Keith, always supported him, the same way his mother and step-father did. Nobody had ever spoken to him the way Allura has. She was so firm, yet compassionate all at the same time. He looked at his Galra arm. It wasn't easy learning to embrace a side of himself he had resented for so long. Still, perhaps, if possible, this journey could be what he needed to finally discover who he was meant to be. The outcast half-Galra couldn't be all he was, right? He still wasn't sure if the black lion would respond to him, but this journey could help him discover more about himself that he never imagined. Best of all, he wouldn't be alone.

He will have his friends…and he will have Allura.

He finally smiled at the princess. "I…don't know what to say about that."

"You don't have to say anything."

Keith froze once Allura wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. The young man had never had another woman hug him before, who wasn't either his mother or Pidge. Her hair smelled of lavender and her embrace made him feel safe and welcomed. He gained the courage to place his hands on her back, still unsure if he should wrap his arms around her waist at this point.

"Regardless of what other half you are, I believe in you. I believe you are capable of so much more than you think. Please remember that."

Keith didn't know if it were possible. He didn't hate his entire self, just his Galra half. Still, hearing the sadness in her voice made him reconsider.

"I will." he said in a soft, empathetic tone. Once they ended the hug, Allura placed a soft kiss on his right cheek….right before playfully placing his jacket over his head, messing up his hair. The princess laughed and ran off like a mischievous child.

"Race you back to the village!"

Keith laughed as well, putting his jacked back on and chasing after the princess. The red lion watched as the two ran down the small slope and back to the Arusian village.

(~)


	8. Chapter 8

(~)

The Arusians hoisted the bags over their shoulders as they assisted the paladins with the supplies necessary for their trip. Keith was the last to awaken from his peaceful sleep. After the unexpected, yet undeniably amazing, flight across the planet Keith though he wouldn't be able to sleep at all afterwards. It would appear, that experience was exactly what he needed to rest easy. Thoughts of uncertainty regarding their quest still buzzed around in his brain. However, having openly spoken to Allura not only of his family but also the reason why he detested the Galra so much had lifted a weight off of his shoulders. He felt the same relief when he eventually revealed the truth to his friends, who aside from Shiro, trusted the most with this fact. He didn't plan on telling her so quickly, but when his anger boiled it just came out on impulse. The probability that there could be any redeeming qualities in the Galra race was always difficult for Keith to swallow. He wasn't sure if he believed it now or ever. Or, even if he _wanted_ to believe it.

Regardless of that, there was no denying that last night was most fun Keith has had in a long time.

"You're in a good moon today." Lance said, startling Keith to the point he nearly dropped the basket of fruit the Arusians had generously given them and was boarding onto the ship.

Keith blinked, hoping the heat on his cheeks was invisible from Lance's perspective. "Oh, uh, yeah. I…I had a good night's sleep."

"Really. I didn't think you got any sleep after flying off with the princess." Lance said with a smirk, carrying a bag over his shoulder. Keith froze in place, his eyes widening. His entire face felt as hot as one of those summer days at the beach back on Altea.

"How did you know?!"

"I saw the lion take off last night while I was looking for the bathroom." Lance replied before turning his upper torso around and grinned. "You sly, dog!"

"Nothing happened." Keith said, unable to hide the smile that threatened to form on his lips. "Allura was just giving me some flying lessons."

" _Ooooooooh_!"

"Shut up!" Keith punched Lance's arm, but his friend only laughed. "Tell anyone else and you'll be cat food!"

"Mum's the word!"

"Alright, we're all good to go!" Coran said, dusting his hands before placing them on his hips.

Allura bowed before the Arusian king. Keith, Pidge, Lance and Hunk stood beside her. "Thank you, for all of your help, your Majesty." she said.

"We are the ones who should be thanking you, for protecting us from the Galra. I wish you the best of luck, young Paladins."

"Come on, boy! Get inside!" Coran called out in frustration as he tried, miserably, to push the red lion forward into the cargo hold of the ship. The mechanical cat simply sat on the ground, not flinching, while the smaller Altean grunted in pain. His arms tensed at the pressure he placed in shoving the lion.

Eventually, he gave up, panting with his arms dangling. "Get your rusty rear off the ground and into the ship you lazy pile of bolts!" he exclaimed…only to fall completely on his rump when the lion roared at him in anger.

Allura shook her head and approached the lion. Immediately, the creature stood upwards in her presence. "It's okay, Red. It's okay, Coran didn't mean it." she said, making the lion close in, his nose touching her stomach and she petted it lovingly. "Awww! Who's a good kitty? Who's a good, handsome kitty? You are, that's who!" the princess cooed. "Come along now. Good boy." Allura effortlessly led the lion up two large catwalk and into the ship, where it sat peacefully. His nose nuzzled the princess, who hugged him in return, giving a purring sound in satisfaction.

"I'll be here if you need me, okay?" she received a soft growl as a responce before walking out. The hatch closed and Coran stared, blinking, wide eyes with his jaw dropped. Allura sighed while shaking her head. "Honestly, Coran. Can you at least try to get along with Red?"

Coran quickly got back to his feet, crossing his arms and stuck his nose into the air. "You know, there was once a time where ships were ships and not living giant pets!"

From inside the ship, the red lion let out a ferocious roar. Allura clenched her fists to her side, narrowing her eyes at Coran. She then extended her right arm, pointing a finger at the cargo hold, where her lion was still throwing a fit. Coran groaned in frustration.

"Fine! I'm sorry!" he said. But the lion continued to roar.

"Like you meant it!" Allura demanded.

"Okay, okay!" Coran took in a deep breath and spoke in a more genuinely regretful tone. "I'm sorry I called you a pile of bolts."

"And…?"

"And…and for calling you a pet."

The lion calmed down, purring in satisfaction. Allura smiled as well, "See, that wasn't so hard."

"Yeah, speak for yourself." Coran muttered under his breath. Thankfully, the lion or Allura didn't hear him.

Once inside the ship, everyone waved farewell to their new Arusian friends. Coran piloted the ship out of the Arusian atmosphere and in a few short moments the crew was back in space.

"So, where to first?" Coran asked.

Keith pulled out his dagger, flipping the neon blue lid which covered the heart. Handing it to Allura, she placed her fingers over its surface. A soft none lethal shock wave surrounded the ship, once again showing the coordinates of the lion's whereabouts.

The blue lion floated before them, allowing the princess to read the words on the side of the image. She gently tapped her finger over the surface of the planet. "There. That is where we will find the blue lion."

"What planet is that?" Hunk asked.

The planet appeared rounded as most planets did, however the colors and the surface were of an aquamarine color, with reflections of water over its surface. It's most striking feature was the fact that it there were fragments of large ice around it, as it the ball itself had splashed into the water and the waters froze instantaneously. Another unusual physical trait was that there appeared to be a ring of water around it, floating in space where the ice was rising, and fragments of ice grew from underneath.

"I'm not sure." Allura replied. "It's a planet that consists of water and ice. The blue lion is associated with water, so it would make sense for it to have found its way here."

Pidge leaned forward, adjusting her classes while reading the words. "Look how far it is. It'll take us months to get there! Even our food supplies don't last that long!"

"Ah, but you're forgetting one thing." Allura said with a smile, the coordinates reverting back into the stone and the princess closed her eyes. The stone emitted bright sparkles and another wormhole appeared before them, just as it did the first time.

Everyone else, save for Keith and Allura, stared in awe. "Oh, right. You can make wormholes now." Hunk pointed out, feeling incredibly stupid for having forgotten that detail.

"Um, Princess, are you sure this is safe?" Coran asked hesitantly, his eyes fixated on the large gapping hole in the middle of space.

"Don't worry, Coran. It's perfectly alright." Allura said.

The oldest member of the group sighed in defeat. There really was no turning back at this point. He piloted the ship into the portal, screaming all the way.

(~)

The portal reappeared and the ship flew right out, entering the atmosphere of the new planet. The outside shifted from the blackness of space into a bright sunny, almost cloudless sky with an arctic location down bellow them.

The entire time, Coran had been screaming his head off.

"Coran! We're here!" Keith yelled as loud as he could to get the old man to shut up.

He blinked, his mouth still open wide, revealing his molars. "Oh…well, that wasn't so bad now was it?"

Allura and the others either groaned or rolled their eyes. The ship flew across the vast ocean, which was ironically completely melted regardless of the atmosphere. Coran found a clear place to land the ship. The group exited one by one, the cold arctic winds blew against their skin. To their surprise, the icy winds didn't make them shiver at all.

Lance stepped out and walked further onto the snow, reaching the shoreline towards the icy waters. He stood there, looking down at it before finally reacting. "So….where's the lion?"

"I think we're supposed to look for it." Keith said.

"Okay…how?!"

"The blue lion's connected to the element of water, right?" Keith said, "So, I guess we should start underwater."

"Don't you mean?…" with no explanation whatsoever, calypso music suddenly started playing and Hunk started to sing, " _Under the Sea! Under the Sea!_ " the song came to an abrupt halt when Pidge covered his mouth.

"Save the singing for Disney night, Hunk." she said with a deadpan tone with a matching expression.

"How are we supposed to search for the lion underwater?" Lance asked, "Unless that ship doubles as submarine or somebody brought some scuba equipment."

"No, but close!" Coran said, "There are space suits inside. The ship itself might not be built for deep water, but the suits work just as well as any scuba gear."

Coran quickly rushed inside to retrieve the suits. The teens changed into them one by one, each one was gray/light silver colored, with blue outlines and black gloves with matching boots. Allura had her hair styled into a bun in order to put on her helmet. Coran polished the surface of his before placing it on his head.

Pidge and Hunk were thankful to find that the suits fit them so well, especially given their individual sizes, which differed from the others. Pidge being shorter and Hunk being…well, wider. Thankfully, this was made from advanced Altean technology, so one size fits all.

"Alright, before we go leaping into the unknown, let's set a few rules."

"Rules?" Keith asked. Allura groaned in frustration while rolling her eyes.

"Just a few quick ones. Number One; Never stray from the group. Remain at least three feet of length apart at all times. Rule Number Two; always stick with a buddy. Pidge, you're with Hunk. Lance, you're with Keith, and Allura's with me."

Lance's eyes darted back and forth between Keith and Allura. "Actually, Coran, I think I would feel a lot safer with you."

"You would?" Allura asked in surprise.

"You would?" Keith, Pidge and Hunk all asked simultaneously, their expressions mirroring Allura's.

"You would?" even Coran was surprised to hear this.

"Y-Yeah, I mean, you were in the military, and I get pretty spooked in darkened, underwater places." he said, trying to give the impression as if he were shaking in his boots.

"Seriously?" Hunk asked in disbelief, "Dude, you were on the high school swim team and every time we went to the beach you kept dragging me to the deepest-OUCH!" Hunk was silenced when Lance elbowed him in the gut.

Lance quickly zipped beside Coran, "Tell you what, why don't you be my buddy and Keith can keep tabs on Allura?" he suggested.

It didn't take long for Keith to figure out what Lance was planning. He averted his gaze from the princess, feeling incredibly embarrassed.

"So what'ya say, buddy?" Lance flashed Coran a hopeful grin….

…he then folded his arms, wearing a deadpan, disappointed expression while standing next to Keith, who don the same exact expression on his face. Lance's disappointment leaned towards the fact that his plan didn't work, while Keith's leaned more towards the humiliation of Lance's inability to be sublet with his attempt at matchmaking.

Coran took the lead, having Allura beside him. The princess pouted her lips while crossing her arms. She shared the same feeling of disappointment and humiliation as the boys.

"Alright everyone, time to dive into the unknown!" Coran prepared to nose dive into the waters, until Hunk rose his hand.

"Wait! What if one of us has to go to the bathroom?"

"Oh, that's actually rule Number Three. If you ever need to go, the suits actually have a built in-"

"Never mind, I'll hold it!"

Allura turned to her mice companions, squatting down to their level. "You all remain with Balto and Red until we get back." she said. The mice squeaked in reply.

Coran positioned himself, "Ready…and…dive!" he dove headfirst into the water. Allura did so as well. One by one the others splashed in, and Hunk stopped, pressing his hands together in prayer.

"Please don't be any sharks. Please don't be any sharks." he chanted. Rather than nose dive, he simply did a cannon ball, whimpering in fear until he was completely submerged in water.

His fears took fool form upon seeing the dark, horrifyingly deep ocean that seemed to get darker and darker the further you went. He floated in place, his senses snapping him back to the reality that his friends were already more than five feet ahead of him. He began rapidly moving his arms and legs before simply pushing his body forward.

"Don't leave me!"

Hunk managed to reach the rest of the team in record time. Keith had the dagger safely secured around his waist. Every so often he would inspect it to make sure it was still there. Despite their current mission to locate the fabled blue lion, the young paladins couldn't resist in taking in the vast underwater world. The rocks rose as high as a building, and a colorful variety of fish swam right by them. Hunk kept close to Pidge while Coran made sure to keep Allura in arms length.

As much as she loved Coran like an uncle, the young princess just couldn't help but feel annoyed whenever he was being so protective of her. She couldn't fully blame him, after all he was sucked into this whole adventure due to her own actions. Had she not stolen the ship, Coran would't have hit his head and passed out. At the corner of her eye, she spotted Keith and Lance swimming side by side.

Keith took caught glimpse of the princess. Instinctively, and without much thought as to why, Keith smiled at her. Allura felt her cheeks heat up. The half-Galra teen may appear rather distant, but whenever he smiled it made her stomach feel as if she had a million butterflies flying around inside her, and her heart skipped more than just one beat.

"Okay, so where do we start looking?" Lance asked, unintentionally taking Keith's attention away from the princess.

"As the blue lion's paladin, you should be able to locate it." Allura said as she and the others all came to a slow halt.

"How?" Lance asked.

"It's the same as what happened with me and Red. The quintessence we shared allowed me to find him back on Altea. You and your lion should be able to do the same."

"Okay, but how does it work?"

"You can't force it. It's a natural process, you can't really control it."

"Well that's not every helpful." Lance turned his attention to Keith, "What does the stone say?"

Keith revealed the stone, but it showed no activity. "It's not saying anything." Allura swam up, placing her fingers onto the surface. She shook her head when nothing occurred.

"Some help you are." Lance said to the stone, placing his hands on his hips. Suddenly, he heard something making an underwater whooshing sound from behind. He spun around to see a stream of bubbles appeared right behind a rock and a shadowy figure moved by.

"Did you guys see that?"

Everyone turned their attention in the direction to where Lance was pointing in the direction to where she saw the shadowy creature. "I don't see anything." Pidge said.

Keith's eyes narrowed tensely. "Let's keep moving." he said, swimming ahead with the rest of the team following. Coran taped on his wrist, switching on a flashlight in order for them to see in the darkness. Everyone else followed and switched on their individual lights.

Lance kept a sharp eye for whatever it was he heard. He shined his light all around, until it landed in between two rock pillars. It was there he spotted something with bluish colored skin and something green wrapped around it. The lower half was long with a large fin. Lance couldn't get depict every fine detail due to the creature already having swam off in a rush.

Lance blinked in disbelief. While it was for a moment, there was no mistaking the feminine upper build and what appeared to be hair coming from its head, the same color as its skin.

"What was that?!" Hunk said in disbelief.

"You saw it too?!" Lance shook his head, as if trying to wake himself up from a dream.

"Was that-did it look like a-a-" Pidge couldn't get herself to utter the word.

"A mermaid?" Lance finished for her.

Pidge shook her head in disbelief, "No, no way! That's impossible!"

"Well, there is 90% of space that has yet to be explored." Coran said, "It's highly possible for there to be aquatic lifeforms out there."

"Yeah, but a mermaid?!"

"Look, there it is again!" Lance pointed his light to where he saw the creature, this time noticing a few more details, such as it apparent "hair" growing from it head, split into two pieces that appeared almost like fins themselves. She swam away once more, leaving a trail of bubbles in her wake.

"Let's follow it!" Lance began to swim after the creature, only to be stopped by Keith.

"Lance, stay focused. We have to find the blue lion."

"I know, I'm just saying maybe this thing can help. Plus, it's a mermaid. _A mermaid!_ " he practically squealed like a little kid.

"Just because it's a mermaid doesn't mean it'll be friendly."

"If it wanted to attack us it would have already."

Hunk swam up from in between the two, "Keith's got a point, Lance. For all we know, it could be luring us to our doom. Or maybe it'll sing its hypnotic song and make us crash into rocks and sink to our deaths!"

"That's a siren, Hunk." Lance clarified.

"There's a difference?"

"Come on, before it gets away!" Lance swam ahead, faster than most, his arm extending forward to shine the light in his way.

"Lance!" Keith called out, but quickly gave up. He should have expected Lance to loose all common sense when it came to a pretty girl. And the fact that this girl just so happened to be an aquatic mythical creature was only adding sprinkles to the sundae.

"Lance, remember rule number two! Always stick with your buddy!" Coran called out.

The rest of the grouped quickly went after Lance. Times like these Keith, Hunk and Pidge hatted that Lance was the best swimmer out of all of them. They managed to catch up to him, and Lance was hot on the mermaid's trail. From behind, he noticed she was wearing a green colored cape around her neck, and had seashells wrapped around her waist. Her tail was a darker blue, while her skin was a gray aquamarine, as was her hair.

The others caught a better view of the creature as well. There was no mistaking the anatomy now. Pidge was speechless beyond compare. The little girl inside her just bursted with glee.

"I can't believe this! We're actually chasing a mermaid!" she exclaimed, clenching her fists excitedly, her eyes sparkling and her face beaming.

The mermaid took a sharp turn, disappearing into the tall dancing seaweed. "Hey, wait, wait, come back, we're friendly!" Lance called out.

The rest of the team scrammed in terror once a sea net suddenly emerged from the ground up, entrapping them all in one swoop. Glowing bolas, which resembled pearls due to their coloring, hovered above them before wapping together. The group struggled in their prison, the weight causing them to slowly descent to the ground. Unfortunately, in the process, Keith's dagger had fallen off, landing a few feet away from him. He struggled to reach out and grab it until it was taken by a large, webbed hand.

Looking up, they spotted two large humanoid fish people. Large, muscular men with scaled wearing shark-like helmets, sharp shoulder pads and seaweed across their broad chests. Their tail were long like a snake's with fins. One had his fin split in two, while the other's resembled more of a typical fan. They both wielded sharp spears, which they pointed at the air breathers.

The mermaid from before appeared in between the two. Her skin was indeed aquamarine as they had concluded, but her face was of a paler shade, which extended down from her neck down to her stomach. Her hands had the same markings, along with webbed fingers. Two antenna-like fins grew from both sides of her head to where her "hair" began, and two yellowish colored fins with a pink hue stuck to the side of of her head. She also appeared to have a pin shawl around her shoulders, along with the green cape. Her eyes were entirely aqua blue, pupil-less with a white shine. Her eyes were narrowed and she too wielded a spear in her hand.

"I knew she wasn't friendly!" Hunk exclaimed. The mermaid then pointed her spear directly at him, narrowly missing his nose.

"Who are you and what do you want?" the mermaid asked in a demanding tone, indicating she held some form of authority in whatever this planet was. The guards beside her were another sure sign of this possibility.

"We don't want anything!" Lance said, right before flashing her a flirtatiously smile. "Except, maybe your name."

Keith rolled his eyes. "Seriously? You're hitting on her after she got us all captured?"

"I'm sure this is all a big misunderstanding." Lance said, trying to reason with the clearly angry-and very, very beautiful-mermaid alien princess.

The mermaid towered over them, gripping her spear tightly. "I am Princess Plaxum." she said. "What business do you have in my kingdom? Have you come seeking more treasures for Bakku?"

"Bakku? Who's Bakku?"

Allura knew this was going nowhere, so she attempted to get through to the mermaid herself. "Please, your highness, we mean no harm. I am Princess Allura of planet Altea. We've traveled far to seek an ancient weapon known as the Blue Lion. We need it to form Voltron."

"I know not of this Voltron of which you speak! Or of this blue lion."

"What should we do with them, princess?" one of the guards asked.

"Let us take them back to the palace. I'm sure my sister will find a more fitting punishment for these trespassers."

The teens and Coran did not like the sound of that. Not one bit.

(~)

"Let's follow the mermaid, you said! It'll be great, you said! I'm sure she can help us, you said!"

"Okay, I get it, I made a mistake." Lance didn't know what was worse. Them being dragged across the ocean by a bunch of buff mer-guards and a mermaid warrior princess, or Hunk constantly reminding him just how stupid an idea it was to begin with.

Keith was trying so hard not to yell at anyone, particularly Lance, right now. He knew what Shiro would have done in this situation. Keep clam, and stay patient. Keith knew they would need to find a way out of this mess, but he knew they would never figure it out with their emotions flaring. If only he could reach his dagger, he could cut them out of this. Unfortunately, the mermaid princess was currently in possession of it. She kept the dagger around her waist. The lid over the heart was sealed. He just had to find a way to retrieve it.

"Okay, let's not panic." Keith said.

"Too late for that!" Hunk said, his body shaking, and it was definitely for due to the cold.

"Hunk, your elbow's hitting my ribcage!" Pidge exclaimed in annoyance.

"Well, excuse me, but it's a little difficult to find decent elbow room while trapped inside a net!"

Before the two could continue bickering, the entire group stared in awe at the scenery before them. Despite being held captive, there was no denying the beauty of the land from which Praxum called her home.

An underwater city with bright shimmering lights that could have been mistaken for pearls adorned the streets, and a large underwater palace rose overhead. As they swam father down, the underwater village became more and more detailed. A large collection of arched formed rocks glowed with a bright light within their openings, which was what the others had mistaken for large pearls. Rocks with a multitude of holes were seen with more mer-people swimming in and out. The people themselves came in a variety of colors, reminiscent of familiar sea life. A few mer-people had heads that resembled sea horses, tails that looked more like els than fish, and even some resembling manatees.

If it weren't for the fact that they were held captive they'd be really impressed by all of this. Unfortunately, not only was the probably of the princess's sister's much more "fitting punishment" still on the table, but the group also noticed that several of the mer folk stared at the strangers in terror. Some swam away in fear, while others hissed like angry cats, their scales rising upwards as a result. The further they traveled, they noticed that the city, exile beautiful with some bright lights, was mainly almost completely drained of color. The light were sonly dimming, and green areas which they assumed were supposed to be gardens, were dry and dull. There were traces of purple, pink and yellow on the ground, but it was so faint it was easy to miss if not patting close attention.

Before long, they had arrived at the underwater palace. At the main entrance, which resembled the skeletal insides of a fish, came out another mermaid with four more guards at her side.

The mermaid bared a resemblance to Praxum, mainly in eye and face shape, but not in coloring. While Praxum consisted of mainly green and blue colors, this mermaid's was of pink, yellow and pale white pink. Her hair was longer, appearing more like normal human hair, with a single white marking rising from the start of her hair down the back. Two bright pink antenna-like fins stuck out of both sides of her head, longer and thinner than Praxum's. Her skin was entirely pale white with a tint of pink, with pink markings around the surface of her eyes that resembles eye shadow, and two additional markings which could be mistaken for eyebrows. She also had bright pink lips and a green collar around her neck. One half of her upper body was yellow, resembling an open shirt with pink spots on the shoulder, and orange rings coming from her elbows, along with an orange coloring that reached from her elbows to her wrist, resembling gloves. Her stomach was pale pink, while her back was a stronger pink. Her tail from the waist down was yellow with pink/orange colors stripes and matching fin, as well as a few additional fins around the upper half of her tail and one long pink marking. Her eyes were also of a dark green color.

Upon seeing the little mermaid, the older one rushed forwards, wrapping her arms around the child. "Praxum! Thank goodness! Where have you been? You know how I feel about you patrolling the reef with the guards!"

"I'm fine, Florona." Praxum replied before showcasing to her sister the captives. "We caught these strangers trespassing on our reef."

The yellow and pink mermaid narrowed her eyes and swam towards them. "What is it you wish from us?" she demanded to know.

"Nothing! We don't want anything from you!" Lance exclaimed, practically pleading, "We're friendly!"

"Then why do you bring weapons?" Praxum showcased Keith's dagger.

"It's not a weapon!" Keith exclaimed, "It was from my mother!"

Upon hearing this, the two mermaids's eyes slightly widened, and even softened for a brief moment before Praxum clenched her fists in anger and showed it to her sister.

"It has the Galra emblem on it. They are clearly allies of Zarkon."

"What? No, no, we hate Zarkon!" Hunk said, "Hate him with a passion. Oh, if I had a list of the top ten things I hate, nine of em would be Zarkon."

Florona examined the blade, noticing that on the other side of the blade was another stone. However, this one did not contain the Galra emblem, but instead a strange blue colored shell-like material. She lifted the lid up and gasped upon seeing the shimmering white stone. The colors bounced off the surface of the palace, creating a radiant display of light all around. Several of those lights floated above the heads of the captives, primarily Keith, Pidge, Lance, Allura and Hunk.

Florona and Praxum, as well as the guards froze in shock. They have never witnessed anything like this before. Florona extended her hand to the guards, giving them a hand gesture and they immediately released the group. The mermaid showed Keith the dagger.

"Explain this."

"That's the heart of Voltron. It's what led us here." Keith explained, "We're searching for the blue lion so we can defeat Zarkon."

"Then why do you posses the emblem of the Galra as well?"

Keith averted his eyes unsure if to reveal the truth. He shut his eyes before opening them again. "I am half-Galra, but I assure you, I am in no way aligned with Zarkon in any way.

The stone on the dagger emitted a soft glow, which caught Florona off guard. The stone was as white as a pearl. In their culture, the pearl was the purest of all the stones, and was said to reveal the truth in one's heart. Still, just to be certain, the mermaid extended her hand in front of Keith. From the ground, rose upwards a small pearl, white and shimmering like the heart. She placed it right above Keith's heart, and the pearl sparkled like a star. The guards stood still, while Praxum's eyes widened in shock.

The mermaid lowered the pearl and bowed her head in apology. "Please, come inside."

(~)

The paladins and Coran were escorted inside the palace. The interior was adorned with an assortment of glowing stones used for illumination, and stones carved to resemble waves and seashells. However, the palace, much like the rest of the city appeared somewhat dull with so many dimmed colors and lighting. All was silent, the swooshing waters being their only source of sound.

The two mermaids had their servants prepare a meal for their guests. The food was brightly colored and delectable in appearance. Resembling vibrant colored candies rolled up like sushi from back home, with traces of what looked like algae, served in shell shaped plates. One of the guards arrived with a shell in hand.

"Here. I've brought you these." Florona said as the guard approached Hunk;s first with the shell, placing it near his head. from the shell a bubble blew out, covering Hunk's head. "These bubbles will provide you with all the air you need."

Hunk pressed his hands onto the surface of the bubble, "Whoa!" he said, impressed by how strong it felt. Almost like squishy, soft, watery rubber. He was able to pressed his hands right through without breaking it and removed his helmet.

"Thank you, fish princess."

One by one, each of the paladins and the two Alteans received the same magical bubbles around their heads. Lance had the same reaction as Hunk, pressing his hands on the surface as if it were jello before removing his helmet.

Florona swam towards the table, inviting them to sit. "Please, accept this food as an apology."

Hunk and Lance were already gorging themselves with the delicious looking sea food. Not only that, but it tasted just as great as it looked. The soft sugar mixed with salt just melted in their mouths. Even Pidge found their underwater meals irresistible. It was like sushi with sweet sauce spread over it. Coran hummed in delight at the taste, and even Allura couldn't help but smile in satisfaction at the effect the food had on her taste buds. Keith, while keeping the most composure in comparison, did indeed find the mer-folk quinine a delight. The reason why he was less expressive about it was due to the fact they now knew he was half-Galra. Whatever strange, magical pearl trick the oldest mermaid sister did, he was relieved it somehow convinced her that he wasn't lying.

During the meal, which was being served by some lovely mermaids, Lance didn't miss the opportunity to flirt with them. He gave them a flirtatious point, and flashed them a dazzling smile.

Allura rolled her eyes at this. "Does he do that often?" she whispered to Keith.

"You get used to it."

Hunk swallowed before speaking, "Your royalness, is I may, this food is amazing! You've got to give me the recipe!"

"I'm happy you are enjoying yourself." Florona said, sitting on the main chair, which was larger in comparison to the other seats, no doubt to further address her royal status. Praxum sat on a similar chair beside her.

"We do apreciate it, but there's no need for you to apologize, princess." Keith said, "We are the ones who should be apologizing. We didn't know these reefs belonged to you."

Florona averted her gaze from him. The antennas on her head slightly lowered, reflecting her current mood. "Indeed our people have lived in these reefs for generations. But, sadly, these lands are no longer ours."

"You know that's not true!" Praxum said passionately, nearly slamming her fist onto the table. Her utensils leaped out of place as a result.

"Praxum, please!"

"This reef is our home, Baaku has no right to take it format us!"

"Who's this Baaku guy you keep talking about?" Pidge asked. "Is he a guy?"

"The Baaku is nothing more than a coward!" Praxum stated, the fierce ambition in her eyes never once wavering. "He's been stealing our treasures and resources for years. He thinks just because he's so big he has the right to order us around as if we were his slaves!"

"You're lucky he's not here to hear you say that!" Florona said, snapping at her sister, though the others could see the remorse and angst in her eyes. "If he did he'd turn you onto one of his trinkets just as he did with mother!"

"What happened to your mother?" Allura asked compassionately.

Florona sat back down, sighing sadly. "The Baaku has the power to turn mer-people into pearl statues to add to his collection. When he first arrived to our home, he nearly destroyed us all. We managed to save our people by striking a deal. That so long as we presented him with offerings of food and wealth, and give him complete domain over the reefs he would spare our lives."

"He also stole our energy beacon." Praxum said, "We once used it to communicate with interstellar travelers across the galaxy. Our planet used to be famous for trading our uniquely durable minerals to use for weaponry in the war."

"So that's how you knew of the Galra." Keith concluded.

"Indeed." Florona replied, "But, one day, one of the townsfolk rebelled and refused to bow before Baaku. Our mother saved his life, but wounded up turning into a statue herself. He took her to his cave…"

Florona stopped, unable to continue. She covered her face, weeping in front of her guests. Praxum wrapped her arms around her sister, weeping alongside her. Allura's hand reached her chest, her eyes blurry due to the tears that started to form. Lance hung his head depressed, as did Hunk. Pidge stopped eating, unable to take another bite after hearing this. Coran too ceased his eating.

"I'm terribly sorry." Allura said.

"Yeah, I wish there was something we could do." Hunk said.

"I'm afraid there is nothing any of us can do."

"Yes there is!" Praxum said, wiping her sister's tears away with her thumb. "We have to go to his cave and rescue our mother!"

"Praxum, it's impossible! Baaku's cave is located on the east side of the reef, surrounded by an air pocket. We're powerless on land."

"Land might not be your turf, your highnesses." Lance said, only to flash them a sly grin, "But it is _ours_!"

"Lance, don't be thinking what I think your thinking!" Hunk warned, pointing a fork at Lance.

"Come on, these people need help. We can't just leave em like this."

"I agree." Pidge said. While her brother had returned safe and sound, she could empathize with the mermaids who were, at the moment, without their mother. "Besides, the Baaku will just keep taking innocent lives until somebody stops him."

"Surely you're not thinking about going are you?" Florona asked, her voice shaking and her body trembling in fear. "Baaku will turn you into one of his statues if you're caught!"

"She makes a very good point!" Hunk said. "I don't know about you guys, but I do _not_ want to be a statue! Besides, what about the blue lion? Shouldn't we be looking for it?"

The others had nearly forgotten about that detail. The real reason why they came here to begin with. Allura agreed with Hunk, finding the lion was a priority, but she would never live with herself if she had abandoned these innocent people in their hour of need.

Keith, while not needing to say a word, shared this same mindset. Plus, when he saw the two sisters mourn the absence of their mother, as well as seeing the two sisters giving each other comfort…he couldn't help but be reminded of Shiro. Plus, the fact that they had arrived here to seek the blue lion, while also encountering a civilization that needed their help…it almost seemed a bit too convenient, but in the best sense of the word.

"We will find the blue lion." Allura said, finally speaking up. "After we rescue the queen and those poor merpeople."

"Princess, are you certain that's wise?" Coran asked, "Florona said so herself, this monster can turn one into a statue!"

"I'm well aware of the risk, Coran. But, as the Paladins of Voltron, it is our duty to defend the universe. That means we help all of those in need."

"Was that in the job description?" Hunk asked, raising his hand, "Because, I don't remember signing up for that. Or, any of this for that matter."

"I agree with Allura." Keith said. "We're staying and stopping this Baaku before he takes anyone else."

Hunk slumped in his chair, "Great, I'm completely alone here."

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Florona asked, unsure if to feel scared or thankful that these humans would go out of their way to rescue her mother.

"You have our word, Princess Florona." Keith said, "We will bring back your mother."

Florona and Praxum smiled in gratitude. The oldest sister had tears in her eyes. "Thank you!" she said

(~)

 **Yep, I made Praxum and Florona sisters and Queen Luxia's daughters. I felt terrible that Florona DIED in the actual episode! She was innocent! Also, Praxum has a tiny bit of Katara's spunk on here. Makes sense, they are voiced by Mae Whitman after all.**

 **Until next time, God bless, *kiss kiss***


	9. Chapter 9

(~)

The group met outside of the borders of the village, where Florona and Plaxum handed the group some weapons in order to fight the Baaku. These weapons consisted of a grabbling hook with the ends resembling an actual fishing hook, spears that could shoot a net from its top.

"I'm sorry we could not supply you with more." Florona said, apologetically hanging her head. "I'm afraid Baaku has left us with very little to defend ourselves with."

"We'll make due." Keith said, taking the spear and sword in hand. "Thank you, Princess."

Florona pointed her webbed finger towards the farthest ends of the reef, directing her finger a collection of sea caves not too far ahead. "The Baaku resides in an underwater cave, on the far east side. He keeps our mother and our subjects within his treasures."

"If there is anything Baaku loves more than his treasures, it's himself." Plaxum said, folding her arms in disapproval. "He's always demanding we praise him for his greatness and beauty. Wether we like it or not." she said bitterly.

Lance swam up towards Plaxum, smiling flirtatiously. "Before I head off to vanquish the monster, how's about a kiss for good luck?" he then puckered his lips, awaiting for the mermaid princess to press her own against his. Plaxum irked back in disgust at the idea of kissing such a…peculiar creature without any scales or a tail. A small fish swam by, and thinking fast, she used it to kiss Lance. He opened his eyes, which widened in disgust. Allura and Pidge stifled a laughter at seeing Lance desperately wiping off the salty, wet taste from his mouth.

" _Please_ , be careful." Florona said with grave concern, holding her hands close to her chest. "Very few have made it out alive, if at all."

"Geesh, no pressure." Hunk muttered under his breath.

"Rest assured, you will be reunited with your mother as soon as possible." Allura promised with confident determination.

The two mermaids bowed in gratitude not only for her promise, but for their bravery. With their weapons in hand, the team swam off towards the east, by passing a variety of colorful sea life. Keith inspected his waist, keeping the dagger tightly around his waist. If this monster was as interested in treasures as Plaxum described, them he would need to keep and extra close eye on it from here on out.

"So, what's the plan for when we find this thing?" Pidge asked as they swam along the vast underwater realm.

Keith's eyes darted back and forth, seeing that Lance, Hunk and Pidge were all eyeing, as if anticipating for something. It didn't take long for him to realize that they were expecting _him_ to have an attack plan.

He came to a stop first before everyone else, already feeling very self cautious. "Um, well…"

"You _do_ have a plan, right?" Pidge asked hopefully.

"Wait, why do _I_ have to be the one with the plans?"

"You are going to be the pilot of the Black Lion, so that automatically makes you our leader."

Keith's first instinct was to protest against such claims, despite knowing perfectly well that is what the stone specifically revealed to them back on Arus. However, knowing the situation at hand, and the fact that everyone was already worried enough as it was, not to mention the really, really high stakes, Keith couldn't start an argument and dump this supposed leadership responsibilities on somebody else.

His mind drifted back to a when he was younger. While their parents were out shopping, Shiro helped Keith with his homework. The young boy often had a hard time with the other kids, but his parents wanted to make sure he had a good education.

Young Keith slammed his fists onto the table in anger. "I can't do it! It's impossible!" the pencil rolled on over to Shiro's end of the table. The older brother only smiled encouragingly and offered the pencil back to Keith.

"You'll get it."

"We've been trying for hours. Face it, I'm just bad at math."

"No, you're not. You're just frustrated. When you're frustrated you can't think clearly. It's like when you're swimming too hard, you slash the water all around and you can't see where you're heading. Remember, patience, yields focus. Just try, one more time. After this, we'll stop, I promise."

Keith took in a deep breath, eyes closed. "Patience yields focus." he repeated. Once he opened his eyes, he looked at the math problem once more. The more relaxed he was the easier the answer seem to fall into place. Once he finished, he handed the paper to Shiro. After a long pause, Shiro gave young Keith a thumbs up. The boy then cheered and leaped for joy.

"I did it! I really did it!"

"I knew you could."

Keith took in a deep breath, calming his senses before thinking of a plan. "Alright. We know the Baaku loves his treasures and is incredibly vain."

"He and Lance should get along swell." Pidge said, making Lance roll his eyes and cross his arms in annoyance.

"Oh, ha, ha! Very funny!" he said sarcastically.

"Don't forget its magic breath." Hunk said, "You know, the breath that turned people into statues?" Hunk froze his pod into a ridiculous position, pretending to be petrified. His unmoving body began to float up to the surface, leaving Lance to grab him by the leg and lowering him back to his level.

Keith pondered for a moment. "The mermaids mentioned that the Baaku keeps his prisoners amongst his treasures. So, if one group keeps him busy by showering him with compliments and praises, it should keep him distracted long enough for the second group to get the mermaids out."

"That's…not a bad idea." Coran said with a hint of uncertainty, "Still not entirely full proof, but it's a start."

"It should work." Allura said, "Plaxum did say nothing pleases the Baaku more than being showered with gifts and compliments."

The group carried on, the waters around them grew darker and darker the further they went. Down bellow were large skeletons of deceased fish, some as large as the humans themselves, while others were the same size as their ship. Lance, Hunk and Pidge were visibly horrified by the display, while Keith and Allura did a better job at keeping their composure. Tall sea rocks towered over them, appearing more like stalagmites rising up towards the surface.

As they swam, Lance suddenly stopped. He felt his head throbbing and a strange ringing went off in his ears. Keith stopped first, noticing his best friend suddenly rubbing his forehead, followed by wiggling his finger into his earlobe.

"Lance, you okay?"

"You guys hear that sound?"

Everyone else stared in confusion while shaking their heads. Then, Keith's dagger began to glow. He lifted the lid up from over the heart, witnessing its bright glow. It was then when Keith heard a similar growling sound as well.

"I hear it!" he said, "I think you're sensing the presence of the blue lion!"

"The blue lion?" Lance asked in bewilderment. "It's-it's here?"

"Only one way to find out." Keith replied and shoved Lance forward.

"Hey, what are you doing?"

"You're the only one who can find the lion. Just listen to its voice and follow it."

Lance quickly swam away from Keith, waving his arms frantically underwater. "Hold it, hold it, don't push me! I'm new at this." Lance was silent as he held a hand near his ear, waiting for the sound from before to be heard again. Surely enough, the growling sound returned, this time stronger than before. He closed his eyes, and his mind he saw an underwater cave, colorful jellyfish and then a large cave, shimmering with priceless treasures, followed by the roar of a blue metallic lion.

Lance opened his eyes and gasped. "No way! The blue lion's inside the Baaku's cave! This way!" Lance swam ahead, and the others followed. Hunk, of course, was hesitant, and remained floating in place. Pidge swam back up, grabbing him by the collar and dragged him with her.

Lance followed the sound towards a collection of underwater caves, each near the other. Lance stopped for a moment, looking at every cave until he heard the growling sound coming from one of them. He pointed his finger towards it and swam ahead. The inside of the cave was, actually quite beautiful. They expected it to be dark and hard to see, but the sides illuminated with a radiant blue bioluminescent algae, and some shell-like crystals that grew from the side of the cave. Several colorful jellyfish swam by in the positive direction from which they were heading.

"It's almost like they're trying to get away from something." Coran said.

"We must be getting close to the Baaku's cave." Allura concluded.

"Oh, joy." Hunk sarcastically muttered.

Coran snapped his fingers enthusiastically, "That's the spirit! Nothing gets the old blood pumping like facing a hideous undersea monster!"

Hunk gave the Altean man a deadpan stare. "Sarcasm's a foreign language to you, isn't it?"

Pidge suddenly felt the cave floor growing smaller to the point where she could upright walk normally as if she were back on land. "The water's shallow here." she said. As they group walked on, they noticed that the cave was heading upwards, before long it felt more as if they were walking up a hill rather than exploring an underwater cave. At the very end, a bright light broke through the surface. They pushed themselves upwards and swam towards the light until they surfaced. The bubbles on their heads popped as a result, now that they could breath oxygen.

"Whoa…" was the first and by far only reaction they had to witnessing a large cavern, with a large shimmering pearl high above, emitting a radiant light, almost like a chandelier. Inside the were hollowed out shelved for which the Baaku had his many, many shimmering and dazzling treasures put on display. One would wonder why, since nobody else but him could see them. Which was most likely the intention.

Allura noticed her reflection on one of the bright shinny shells, tucking in some strands of hair behind her pointed ear. Hunk, for a moment, lost his sense of fear as he was overwhelmed with so much bling.

"Those mermaids were right. This Baaku guy _really_ loves his treasure." he suddenly felt something against his back, almost like a hand. A cold, very, very cold hand. His eyes darted to his side and slowly, very slowly, turned his head around to come face to face with the frozen terrified face of an alien humanoid with gils on the side of its face.

Hunk screamed in terror as he jumped away, only to have his mouth immediately covered by both Lance and Keith. The trio took one good look at what Hunk was so afraid of, realizing it was a statue with a pearl-like surface. The statue depicted an innocent mermaid, screaming in fear with her mouth open wide. One arm was raised over her head, in a desperate attempt to shield herself, and one hand was partly outstretched, which was what Hunk had felt against his back.

Keith and Lance slowly lowered their hands from Hunk's mouth. Everyone gathered around the frozen mermaid with looks of concern. "Is she…dead?" Pidge asked hesitantly.

Allura placed her hand over the mermaid's shoulder, a bright blue aura radiated from her palm as she focused. "No. I can still feel her energy. She's alive, just frozen in a state of suspended animation. They all are."

"Um, guys….look." Lance pointed his finger up to the rest of the shelves, where in between several artifacts, was a frozen pearl statue of some random mermaid or merman, literally petrified in terror.

Allura held her hands close to her mouth, gasping in horror at the sight. Keith gave a look of genuine concern, as did Coran. "Oh, those poor, poor sea folk." the male lateen said empathetically.

Lance then noticed one particular object stood out amongst the rest. On a shelf, way up high, near the large pearl was a metallic object with blue outlines, sitting down on all four legs with a particle barrier around it.

"Hey, there it is! The blue lion!"

"Way ta go, Lance!" Pidge congratulated.

"And look!" Allura pointed towards something beside the lion, set on an open pink shell beside it, adorned with pearls and seaweed decorations. It was another mermaid statue, only this one had a long tail, far longer than most mermaids, with a fin similar to that of a dolphin, streams of long fins sticking out from her side and from her arms, resembling the sleeves of a gown. Fins emerged from her shoulder blades and her "hair" was stilled into separate sides, the ends styled around to the back of her head, and a V like object on her forehead. Like the rest, she too had a look of terror in her eyes.

"That must be the queen."

"But where's the Baaku?" Coran asked, looking around the cave.

"Out to lunch?" Hunk said with a shrug.

Keith lowered his tone, speaking in a half-whisper. "Now's our chance. Lance, you go up there and connect with the Blue Lion."

"How?" Lance asked, whispering back.

"Just stand before it." Allura said, "It will recognize you as its paladin."

"Once it's up and running, we'll gather the mermaids into it and get out of here before the Baaku shows up." Keith instructed.

Lance scaled the height of the cave. The blue lion, and the mermaid queen, were placed so high up he wondered exactly how long it would take him. The sound of growling rang in his ears, which inspired Lance to complete the task.

"Alright, let's get moving." he said and started climbing up the shelves, which were adorned with shimmering golden edges, and barnacles that were sprinkles with sparkling dust, the color of a white pearl.

One golden chalice fell from the shelf, landing on the floor. Allura cocked her head. "That's odd."

"What?" Lance asked, ceasing his climbing.

"The floor is made out of gold, and so is the chalice…why didn't it make a sound?"

Keith pressed his feet onto the surface of the floor from which he was standing, noticing that some parts of it didn't feel hard, but rather soft and almost squishy. The sound of breathing intensified and his gray purple eyes widened in horror.

"Guys, hide. Right now, don't ask questions." Keith ordered, trying not to rise his voice too much. The floor began to shake and rise. Traces of gold and pearls rolled off, this time making a sound once they hit the floor.

Coran led Allura, Pidge, Lance and Hunk to hide behind a large clam, complying as Keith nearly slipped and fell, dropping his spear once he was caught by what appeared to be large claws. Crab claws. Keith let out a terrified scream, even after he was caught and the creature uncoiled its long reptilian-like body, revealing multiple centipede-like legs. The beast was at least one hundred-feet long with brightly colored teal scales from the neck to its serpentine tail, and purple veins segmenting the length of the body. Two massive crab-like claws on opposite sides of the upper half of its body.

Its head resembled that of a seahorse, with frill-like structures on its upper jaw with a pair of rods underneath its bright red eyes, which had two purple stripes extending from them, continuing down to the snout, flanked on both ends by two long, purple colored barbels, making look as if it had a mustache. An assortment of golden scales, pearls and trinkets adorned its back, which had allowed it to camouflage itself with the rest of its treasures.

Keith felt the claw give his body a squeeze as the Baaku rose up, laughing sadistically while baring its sharp, pale golden colored teeth. Even traces of gold colored barnacles adorned his lower jaw.

"Well, well, well. What have we here?" he said, speaking as if he had a New Zealand accent. He inspected the small, unusual creature he now held in his claw. Keith flinched when the Baaku neared its large nostrils closer to him, hovering over his head, taking in a good whiff. Keith's hair was partly risen upwards as if he were being sucked in by a giant leaf blower. The gigantic serpent shuddered in disgust.

"Erh! What are you and what are you doing here in the realm of-" the creature stopped for a moment, when he noticed that Keith's attention kept darting back and forth between the two eyes, which were placed very fawn away from the other, and with how massive the creature was, he didn't know where to place his attention to.

"Just pick an eye, I can't concentrate on what I'm saying." he said, "Just pick one, pick one!" Keith finally decided on the left eye. The Baaku cocked its head, examining the young lad. "You're a funny looking thing, aren't you?" he said, using his other claw to tug on Keith's leg.

"Hey, back off!" he exclaimed, swatting the claw away, though he was more than certain the monster didn't even feel it.

"Ooh, spunky too. I hate spunky!" The Baaku lifted Keith a bit higher, taking notice of something around his waist. He opened his claw a bit and noticed the dagger, and the blue lid that covered the heart. "What's this little trinket you've got there?" he asked, his second claw reaching out to touch it with the tip.

Keith reacted quickly and shielded the dagger with his hand. "Don't! It's from my brother!"

" 'It's from my brother!' " the Baaku taunted before lashing out, his breath smelled like dead fish it made Keith want to vomit. " _I ate my brother!_ And it took about a weak because he was absolutely enormous. That's what he gets for marrying the girl I liked. Although, I did eat her eventually too, but she was just annoying. She kept whining and crying and yelling at me just because I killed her husband. Women, am I right?"

"What do we do?" Hunk asked, unsure if they should come out and save their friend, or if to stick to the plan.

Keith's eyes darted back and forth, not wanting to respond to that. The Baaku was indeed intimidating in size, power and in character, given he ate his brother and sister-in-law out of mere jealousy and spite, but at the same time he appeared to be more of a mentally insane, narcissist which, kind of took away a bit of his intimidating presence. Just slightly, but still.

Allura had already thought ahead and inconspicuously rushed towards a nearby mermaid statue to which to hide behind. She gave the others a hand gesture, telling them to keep going and retrieve the lion. Right now, getting the lion should be their first priority. Once they had it, they would be able to fight the Baaku and save the mermaids.

"Though, you would be an interesting new addition to my collection." the Baaku opened his mouther wide, tiny specks of silver began to manifest and merged to create an illuminating beam, aimed directly at Keith, who tried desperately to break free of the giant crab claw to no avail.

" _Wait!_ " a voice called out, making the Baaku cease his magic, the beam disappearing, and he turned his head to see a peculiar creature, standing on two-whatever they were-much like the creature he had captured.

"Allura!" Keith exclaimed, scared for her well being.

The Baaku examined the new creature, cocking his head in curiosity. He then smiled. "My, aren't you a sight." he said, grabbing her with his claw and lifted her upwards. He held Allura close to his mouth, the princess tried to back away to no avail. She felt his teeth against the back of her head and felt her long waving sea foam hair suddenly fall back. He had undid her up-do.

"That hair. It's like sea foam, yet sparkly like a pearl." he said, suddenly becoming very, very, very interested in this creature.

Meanwhile, Lance and the others made their way up the shelves, hiding behind various treasures in order to reach the top. They used their spears and grabbling hooks to make the climb easier for them.

"Tell me, how did you get your hair to be so….shiny?" the Baaku asked Allura, who began felt very uncomfortable with the way he was staring at her, particularly her hair.

Hunk struggled to climb up one of the shelves, only to slip and accidentally knock down a few plates. Thankfully, they did not break, but they did make a small noise. Just as the Baaku was about to turn his head around to inspect, Keith quickly reacted.

"That's why we're here!" he exclaimed, reaching out his arms instinctively to get his attention. Now that he did, he rolled with the plan. "We've heard about the great Baaku from the villagers and, how magnificent and brave and…" he paused to try and think of another word to flatter the monster.

"Resplendent you are." Allura said, playing along with the plan, while the others continued climbing to the top. They picked up the paste. "You see, we come from a land were my kingdom is rich with glorious treasures. When we heard of you I thought, "There is no possible way there can be such a specimen more astounding as our treasures". So, we just had to know. How, did you, become so…"

"Fab…bulous?" Keith finished. He knew he wasn't the best actor, and judging by the look on his face, he feared he may have blown their chance. He was starting to believe that more and more when the Baaku stared down at them both with a death glare.

"Are you just trying to get me to talk about myself?" he sneered. Keith and Allura gulped, sharing the same fearful expressions. "Because if you are….I will gladly do so!"

The two went from feeling terrified to downright dumbfounded. "Huh?"

"In song form!"

"Huh?" Lance, Coran, Pidge and Hunk all tilted their heads in surprise and confusion.

"Is he serious?" Hunk asked, arching an eyebrow.

With his tail, Baaku tapped the pearl above his cave. The pearl automatically turned into a shade of blue, and the lights of the gold inside bounced off the walls, creating a shimmering disco-like effect. The cave started to look more like a night club due to the change in lighting. Keith, Allura and everyone eyes could only stare, still dumbfounded as the large monster began to sing.

 _Well old Baaku hasn't always been this glam_

 _I was a drab little crab once_

 _Now I know I can be happy as a clam_

 _Because I'm beautiful, baby!_

"Okay, this just took a turn for the weird." Pidge said with a deadpan tone.

"Who cares, let's just get to the lion before he gets to the second chorus!" Lance whispered sharply and continued climbing and Baaku continued his song, all the while showing off his long, shimmering body for his captives to admire. In reality, all they really cared about was keeping him distracted long enough for their friends to reach the lion.

Keith let out a terrified yell as the Baaku rose the half-Galra close to his face, as a way to mock him.

 _Did your brother say, "listen to your heart"?_

 _Be who you are on the inside?_

He then tossed Keith into the air, only to catch him in the same claw where he held Allura, giving him the freedom to move his other claw for the show. He now held them both by the back of their suits, dragging them around as he sang.

 _I need three words to tear his argument apart_

 _Big brother lied!_

 _I'd rather be…_

 _Shiny!_

 _Like a treasure from a sunken pirate wreck_

 _Scrub the deck and make it look…_

 _Shiny!_

 _I will sparkle like a wealthy woman's neck_

 _Just a sec!_

Baaku held his free claw around his neck before making a "cutting" sound with his mouth as if he would break his own neck. Keith and Allura blenched and the princess gripped her neck at the sight. This creature really was sadistic, he talked about bloody murder as it he were chatting about about a picnic on a lovely day.

He waved his large claw around, showcasing the mermaid statues on display. The others quickly ducked behind various statues, taking on the their posses while hiding behind them. Hunk was lucky to have hid behind a merman who was as rounded as he was, and Pidge was lucky to have found one short enough to hide behind as well.

 _Don't ya know?_

 _Fish are dumb, dumb, dumb_

 _They love anything that glitters_

 _Beginners, oh!_

 _And here they are, are, are_

 _Next to the brightest thing that glitters_

 _Hah, fish be quitters!_

 _I just love free stuff_

 _I can never have enough_

Baaku opened his mouth once again, the sparkling beam forming inside his jaw wide as he dangled Keith and Allura over his mouth, ready to turn them into statues to add to his collection. The others ceased their attempts to reach the lion, but it was too late. Baaku shot his beam directly at the two, engulfing them in a shimmering white light. The others covered their eyes from the brightness, unsure if to even look. Coran dared to open his eyes and gasped. The others stared wide eyes, as did the Baaku, only to see that the two were completely unharmed.

Bits of the white lights fell to the floor, while Allura's body gave off a sparkly pink aura, her arms protectively wrapped around Keith's torso. He opened his eyes, widening in surprise to see that they were still in tact. The Baaku blinked at this for he had never seen such magic that rivaled even his own. Suddenly, he became more intrigued. And by intrigued, he meant envious, for nobody should have that kind of power but himself.

 _Well, well, well_

 _Little silver's having quite the sudden luck_

 _You little sparkly, sparkly pretty one_

 _Ooh, that's quite the performance_

 _Love the look, love it!_

 _So much that it's gotta be mine!_

Baaku tossed both Keith and Allura into the air, catching only Allura with his claw, while Keith landed on the ground, hard on his back. The others had finally reached the top to where the blue lion was. Lance's eyes widened at the sight of the great majestic beast on the shelf. He felt a sudden tug in his chest, as if something were pulling him towards it. Hunk, Pidge and Coran approached the frozen queen, working together to lift her up while Lance stepped before the blue lion. He felt its golden eyes staring down at him.

From down bellow, Baaku kept on parading with Allura in his claw.

 _Yet I have to give you credit for my start_

 _And your bright lights on the outside_

 _For thanks to you, my power will become a work of art_

 _I'll never hide_

 _I can't, I'm too…_

 _Shiny!_

Keith spotted the spear nearby and duck and rolled just as the Baaku's large serpentine body came through. He pointed it directly at him, but the monster was too strong and only managed to grab the spear, taking Keith along with him. He tossed the young lad to one of the shelves, which was a disembodied lower jaw of some carnivorous monster, with its teeth rising upwards, serving as a prison with a wide open space above. Keith groaned as he rose up, seeing the Baaku looking down at him, still holding Allura, who kept on struggling to break free. As the Baaku moved around the cave, Allura grabbed any random object she could find within the cave and started hitting the claw with it in a desperate attempt to break free.

 _Watch me dazzle like a diamond in the rough_

 _Strut my stuff, my stuff is so…_

 _Shiny!_

 _Send your armies but they'll never be enough_

 _My shell's too tough_

 _Now, play nice, dear!_

Baaku took the object from Allura's hand with his free claw, much to her distain. She angrily slammed her fists onto the crab's claw, but he barely felt anything.

 _You could try, try, try_

 _But you can't expect to win the fight_

 _Against the golden knight_

 _Nice name, right?_

 _You can't beat someone so..._

 _Shiny!_

Baaku held Allura close to his mouth, this time not attempting to turn her into a statue, but instead to devour her. He believed that, if he did, then her power would be his as well. Anything to remain on top of the underwater food chain. Keith managed to climb out of the prison with ease, only to suddenly see a grabbling hook lower down to him. Looking up, he saw Pidge, giving him the thumbs up. He quickly grabbed the hook and was hoisted up to the others.

 _Soak it in 'cause it's the last you'll ever see_

 _C'est la vie mon ami_

 _I'm so..._

 _Shiny!_

 _Now I'll eat you, so prepare your final plea_

 _Just for me_

 _Your power is almost as..._

 _Shiny!_

 _You'll make me even more than…_

 _Shiny!_

Allura screamed as she was being lowered down to the Baaku's mouth. Her eyes widening in terror until a familiar voice called out to the creature.

"Hey! I've got something shiny for ya!" Lance called out with confidence, now inside the cockpit of the blue lion. The creature came to life, its yellow eyes glowing and the particle barrier around it disappearing. The lion activated its rockets and flew directly at the Baaku, snatching the princess into its mouth before diving back into the water and out of the cave.

"Catch me if you can, bottom feeder!" Lance called out as the lion made its way down the sea cave. Baaku sneered and dove into the waters, chasing after the robotic lion. His centipede legs creating holes into the side of the caves as he rushed after the lion.

From inside, Allura breathed in a sigh of relief, and was embraced by Coran. She was greeted by the others, who had managed to retrieve the mermaid queen in the process.

"You did it, Lance! You got your lion!" Allura congratulated him by patting his shoulder.

"Yeah. I think Blue and I are gonna get along just fine. Isn't that right, boy?" he patted the dashboard as if it were a cat itself. The lion purred in responce.

"What about the other mermaids?" Allura asked.

"We'll get to them, but first let's take down tall dark and tacky back there." Lance picked up the paste and the cave increased in size, allowing him more freedom to roam, with the Baaku right behind him.

"He's gaining on us!" Pidge exclaimed.

Hunk was already starting to feel sick, "Oh man! First we get chased by Galra, now we're being chased by a giant sea monster with admittedly good pipes! This is just not my day!"

The blue lion swam at rapid speed out of the cave, and the Baaku broke through. While everyone else was concerned, Lance had a wide smile on his face. "This is incredible! It's like, the lion and me are one in the same. And just look at how fast he can move! First time I've heard of a cat that does well in water."

"I know you're having fun bonding with your lion, Lance, but we do have a situation here!" Keith reminded him.

"Don't worry, Keith. I'm on it!" Lance had his lion turn around, open its mouth, and shoot a beam of blue light directly at the Baaku, hitting it on its shiny, gold coded back. Bits of it came shooting out, and fell to the ocean floor. This only infuriated the Baaku all the more. With a whip of its tail, he sent the blue lion back, nearly hitting a nearby rock, but Lance managed to quickly regain his balance. He was right, the lion was moving like a fish in its natural habitat. Then again, the blue lion was meant to represent the element of water, so there was that fact.

As the Baaku tried to attack the lion with its massive body, Lance's lion shot more beams directly at it. Lance heard the soft growls of his lion speaking to him, and an idea formed in his mind. Rather than shoot where the creature was, he would shoot where the creature was going to be. At just the right moment, he shot another beam at an open space, where the Baaku was heading. His body became incarnated in ice from the neck down.

"Wow! This lion's cool, just like me!" Lance said with a satisfied grin.

Unfortunately, the ice didn't hold Baaku for long, for he managed to smash it with his tail. Lance tried shooting again, but was then knocked off balance by its tail once again. Lance swam towards an opening between two cliffs, with the Baaku right behind him.

"You can't get away from me!" Baaku warned. Lance managed to get through easily, but the much larger sea monster became stuck, his head sticking out from the other end. "Oh, you can. You keep surprising me!"

Lance laughed at the monster's expense. "Ha, ha! Not so shiny now, are ya?" his laughter quickly morphed into a scream of terror when Baaku managed to wiggle himself free. "Oh, no, he's free!"

Lance had his lion shoot one last beam, but the Baaku narrowly missed it. Instead, the ray hit a nearby rock, causing it to come crumbling down. While Lance attempted to swim away, the Baaku enwrapped its body around him, sending the lion crashing down to the ocean floor.

The rock from above came crushing down, hitting the Baaku's tail, forcing him to release the lion. Baaku cracked the rock with his massive head as more bits of gold fell from his back, angering all the more. He set his sights on Lance, who looked back in terror. He was running out of ideas.

Just as he thought there was nothing left he could do, a blue scene appeared beside him. He rose a brow in confusion, but he sensed it was his lion telling him something. He knew the wise thing to do was to listen.

"Here goes nothing!"

The blue lion let out a mighty roar and a blue aura formed on its back, creating a sonic cannon, which sent a powerful wave of sound, stopping the Baaku in his tracks. He tried to cover his fish ears with his claws, but to no avail. The sonic wave made the entire area shake, and the rocks from above began to crack and crumble all around. Seeing his chance, Lance swam off, while more and more rocks came crushing down on the Baaku.

He looked up to see the lion swimming away. "Hey, hey!….did you like the song?" he asked, right before a rock landed on his head. More and more rocks came at him, followed by a massive one. That was the last time the Baaku was ever seen again.

Once out of harms way, Lance, along with everyone else breathed a sigh of relied. A huge bubble cloud emerged from the wreckage before clearing up. Hunk blinked in surprise. "Dude! You just dropped a sonic boom on him!"

(~)

The team returned to the cave, taking each of the frozen merpeople out one by one. Finding a safe space, they had each mermaid stand side by side, with the Blue Lion standing protectively beside them. Pidge tapped on one of the frozen merpeople. "So, how are we going to get them out of this?" she asked.

Allura looked at her hands, remembering that moment in the cave where her magic shielded her and Keith from the Baaku's spell. Her natural instincts took over and it protected her and Keith. Aside from some magical properties, an Altean's quintessence could also be used to heal when used correctly.

The Altean Princess stood before the merpeople, crunched down and placed her hand on the ground. With fierce concentration, a bright glow emitted from her palm, outstretching across the floor, reaching each mermaid and merman. Their pearl white bodies began to fade away in patches of bubbles. They blinked, wiggled their fingers, before finally moving their tails. Friend and families embraced, lovers kissed, and children cheered happily, swimming in circles with glee.

Last but not least, the mermaid queen was free at last. She gasped before smiling with relief and joy upon being able to move again. Once the process was done, Allura felt woozy and nearly fell until Keith caught her. Queen Luxia looked around, taking notice of the strange creatures before her. Keith helped Allura stand back up. She nodded her head, indicating she was alright. That healing process didn't take as much out of her as she thought.

"Who are you?" the mermaid queen asked.

"It's okay." Lance said, bowing in respect. "You and your people are safe now, your highness. Now, let's get you all home."

(~)

Florona sat dejectedly on the throne, her hands on her lap, while Plaxum sat on the throne's arm beside her. The oldest sister didn't feel right being the ruler of their kingdom. She always imagined it would be her mother who would one day bestow the crown upon Florona, not that she would be forced to take it when her mother was taken away from them against her will. She wished her mother were here. She wasn't ready to be queen, not yet, and even if she was, how could she enjoy it if her mother couldn't be there for her?

The mermaid guards swam up to the princesses, a look of shock and overwhelming joy was visible across his face. The two sisters swam outside the palace, only to see a large mechanical blue lion swimming towards them…alongside all of the missing merpeople whom the Baaku has taken from them.

Mermaids and merman swam down to the village, rushing back to their respected homes, hugging their loved ones, shedding tears of joy. Florona and Plaxum gasped upon seeing their mother swim up to them with open arms.

"Mother!"

"Plaxum! Florona! Oh, my darling girls!" Queen Luxia wrapped her warms around the two in a tight embrace. The young mermaids buried their teary eyes into their mother's shoulders.

As the royal family shared their heartfelt reunion, Keith and the others watched with content smiles. e shed a few tears. "Are you crying?" Pidge asked in surprise.

"Yeah, so what? A man's not allowed to cry?"

Keith, on the other hand, didn't exactly cry, but that didn't mean the tender moment between mother and daughters didn't touch him in some way. Unfortunately, it also reminded him of the fact that, unlike the others…he didn't have his actual family anymore. Allura took notice of this and wasn't sure what to say. She had a hunch this was what Keith was feeling, but she knew no words could make it any easier. Her fist instinct was to reach out her hand to grab his. Keith's face turned a shade of red at this and looked at Allura in alarm. The princess gave him a soft smile, which he returned. A tint of red could also be seen on her brown colored cheeks. For a moment, Keith felt his sadness melt away.

The moment, sadly, was interrupted when Coran swam up, in between the two, causing them to let go of each other's hands. The two quickly recoiled back in embarrassment, hoping he didn't see much. He wrapped an arm around Allura.

"Ah, isn't this sweet? I do love a happy ending!" he said, though judging by the look on his face, he really was just trying to keep the two of them separate. It wasn't that he thought Keith wasn't a good boy, but Coran was like an uncle to Allura, and he had watched over her since she was a child. Of course he would be protective about her being too intimate near a boy she had met a while ago. He would be sure to study the boy closely before deciding is wether of not he would be good enough for her.

Queen Luxia turned to her rescuers, bowing in gratitude. "I can't thank you enough for rescuing my people, and reuniting me with my daughters."

"Eh, don't worry about it." Lance said with a shrug, "It's kind of what we do."

The Blue Lion had a large net tied around its legs, carrying all of the treasures that the Baaku had hoarded inside his cave. The lion lowered the treasures down safely, each mermaid and merman collating what was rightfully theirs. The guards picked up a large closed shell, that once opened it revealed a pearl like beacon.

"Our energy beacon!" the young mermaid exclaimed with joy.

"Indeed." Queen Luxia nodded, placing a hand on her youngest daughter's shoulder. "It has been many years since we have used it. Now, with the Baaku defeated, we can rebuild or civilization and reach out to interstellar travelers once again."

Florona bowed to their heroes. "I wish to apologize. To be honest, I wasn't sure if you would make it or not. We have lost so much to the Baaku I was beginning to lose hope. How can we ever repay you?"

Lance swam up to her, smiling flirtatiously. "Well, there is one way." he winked.

Florona and Plaxum looked at one another, and shrugged before both kissing both of Lance's cheeks. He may not have been the most handsome creature they had ever seen, but he did help save their mother. It was the least they could do.

Naturally, Lance was very pleased with this. His face lit up with a dreamy expression and nearly floated up to the surface, only to be brought down by Hunk who pulled on his leg. He only shook his head while chuckling.

"Excuse me, Florona." Keith addressed to the oldest princess. "When we first arrived here, what was that weird pearl magic thing you did before?"

The mermaid gave him a kind smile. "It's an old mermaid technique my mother taught me. The pearl is known as the purest of all underwater gems. It can also reveal the truth in one's heart." he placed a hand on Keith's shoulder, noticing his surprised expression. "That's when I knew you could be trusted."

(~)

Sendak bowed his head before his ruler. Pressing his large mechanical arm over his chest while down on one knee. Zarkon sat on his throne, his loyal witch Haggar stood beside him. Both stared down at the Galra commander.

"You had one task." Zarkon said. "To capture the red lion, but instead you were bested by mere children."

"I assure you, Emperor Zarkon, I shall not fail you again."

"No. You will not." Zarkon rose his hand towards his guards. "Take him to the cell and await my orders."

"What?" Sendak exclaimed in terror. "No, your excellency, please, give me another chance!"

"Fear not, Sendak. You will have your chance to restore your honor. One way…or another."

When Haggar chuckled under her hood, Sendak became aware of what his plan really was. "No! No, anything but that! Please, no!" the commander pleaded for his life, which was very much unlike him. He would never cower in fear as he did now, but the fate that no doubt awaited him was far worse than death itself. The guards dragged him away, removing his mechanical arm in the process so he would not be able to fight back.

Once he was out of sight, Zarkon addressed his attention back to Haggar. "Have you managed to locate the heart yet?"

"The little brat managed to sever my connection to it. She is indeed powerful…" Haggar gave a crocked smile, "But not as powerful as I. Their luck won't last long."

"See to it that you find them. In the meantime, Sendak shall be of use to us yet." Zarkon turned to one of his officers, who stood on the right hand side of his throne. "Thace."

"Yes, Emperor Zarkon."

"I have just received word that the Olkari project has been going through some…delays recently. See to it the project is finished by this week."

"But, Emperor, are you certain that-"

"Are you questioning me, Thace?" Zarkon sneered.

The Galra soldier straightened himself. "No, sir."

"Good."

(~)

 **I did say this story was based on Moana. I can't say I will be using ALL of the songs, only the ones that fit, and I had this scene in mind from the get go when I started working on this. In the next chapter, we will get to see where the green lion is.**


	10. Chapter 10

(~)

The merpeople had been restored to their original forms, and now all of their lost treasures, weapons and resources have returned as well. The queen was rightfully back on the throne and reunited with her daughters. Just like with the Arisuans, the merpeople offered their saviors lavish gifts. A pearl necklace for Pidge, which she had to admit, was rather lovely. The upper half had much smaller pearls, with only one slightly larger one at the center. Allura was given a similar necklace, and the boys were given golden medallions shaped like seashells.

"I only wish there was more we could do for you." said Queen Luxia.

"Thank you for the generous gifts your majesty, but I think we'll be alright." Coran said.

"Besides, you need them more than we do." Allura said.

The group turned their heads when they heard Lance making baby talk at his new lion, who swam in place like a happy little kitten. "Who's a good Blue Lion? Who's a pretty Blue Lion? You are, yes you are! Come here, give daddy a hug!" Lance spread open his arms and the lion pressed its large mechanical nose against his body. Lance rubbed its surface, hearing the happy purring of his new partner. "That's a good boy, that's a good boy!"

Allura couldn't help but chuckle. "Oh my gosh, did I really look like that around Red?" she asked Keith, unable to sustain her laughter.

"Yeah, but when you do it it's cute." Keith replied…only to realize what had slipped out of his mouth and his face became as red as the red lion itself. "Well, I guess we should be going now!" he said, trying to change the subject. Allura blushed.

"Yeah." Lance said, still rubbing his lion's nose. "We've got another family reunion to get to."

"Be safe. And good luck on your journey." the queen said, waving farewell alongside her daughters as the group boarded the blue lion, which swam back up to the surface. Lance smiled as the waters zoomed past them, and the surface was only an arm's reach. Once the lion surfaced and climbed onto the snow covered shoreline, Balto and the space mice rushed outside the ship.

The blue lion lowered its head and opened its mouth, allowing its passengers to exit one by one. Balto ran up to Keith, happily greeting him by leaping into his arms, licking his face. Allura's mice friends scurried over, each jumping into her palms. Hunk breathed a sigh of relief once he removed his helmet.

"Oh, I have never been happy to get out of the water in my entire life."

"Do you have to complain about everything?" Allura asked.

"He wouldn't be Hunk if he wasn't complaining about something." Pidge said with a shrug.

"I think we've all learned a very valuable lesson today." Lance said, while folding his arms. "Next time I go swimming after a mermaid, I hope you won't be complaining the whole time."

"Lesson learned."

Allura approached the ship, pressing her two fingers into her mouth and whistled. The red lion emerged from the cargo hold. The blue lion rose its head in alarm, and the red lion hesitated to continue forward. For a moment, it looked as if the two would either try to intimidate the other or begin an all out battle. Thankfully, the two lions approached one another, the blue lion tapping the red lion's head with its paw, making a clanging sound, and the red lion did the same to him comrade. The two lions then rubbed their heads before placing one of their paws over the other's back, hugging one another.

Everyone, including Keith, just melted at the sight of the two lions reuniting. It was strange how these large mechanical lions acted so much like actual lions, even rubbing each other's heads while interacting, which was how lions in the wild did to form a strong bond. These two lions acted as if they were long lost brothers, reuniting after being apart for so long.

"Awwwww!"

"That's so adorable!" Hunk said, pressing his hands close to his heart.

The red and blue lions nuzzled their respected paladins, purring in gratitude for having reunited them again. Keith smiled as Allura and Lance both affectionately petted their lions.

"Two down. Three to go."

(~)

The two lions willingly climbed back onto the cargo hold of the ship and Coran took off. The group looked out the window, seeing the lovely planet grow smaller and smaller as they zoomed through space.

"So, what's the next stop?" Coran asked, keeping his eyes on the path ahead.

Keith removed the lid from over the heart. Allura tapped it and once again the ship was surrounded by the floating coordinates. An image of a brown looking planet with floating rocks around it.

"The planet Olkarian." said the princess before turning to the youngest member of their group. "There, we will find your lion, Pidge."

Pidge's eyes beamed with excitement. Finally, she would be receiving her very own lion!

"Ah, Olkarian. Home to the Olkari!" Coran said with a smile, "A proud class of engineers. Builders of vast cities that could change shape at the whim of their creators!"

"They have a seemingly magical ability to manipulate solid metal." Allura explained once she removed her finger from the heart, making the coordinates disappear. "With just a wave of their hands they can build a computer inside a block of steal."

"An Olkari once gave me this during my military days!" Coran pulled from his pocket a strange, square shaped floating device, entirely made of metal with a single neon aquamarine outline in between. Lance stared at in bewilderment.

"What is it?"

"Uh, hello! it's a floating cube! Ha, this guy! And watch. 'My name is Coran, and I'm a gorgeous man.'"

The cube's side lit up and replayed what Coran has just said, _**"My name is Coran, and I'm a gorgeous man."**_

Lance blinked. It was really just a floating recorder. Nothing really special, considering they had that back on Altea. "Um…cool?"

A loud grumbling sound was heard. Hunk blushed from embarrassment. "Uh, is it too late to have lunch? I haven't eaten since breakfast and I'm starving."

"You ate half the food down there." Keith pointed out, remembering the way Hunk devoured the meal the mermaid princesses had offered them.

"Yeah, but swimming for my life and climbing up tall shelves inside a cave really works up an appetite."

"Actually, would it be okay if we landed somewhere?" Lance asked, "I kind of want to get to know my lion a little better. Plus, I could sense the poor guy hasn't had a chance to really stretch out his sea legs in a while. Get it? Sea legs! Ha, ha, ha!…." he laughed at his own joke but soon stopped when nobody else laughed along with him. "Okay, it's not that funny."

"I'm not sure if we should rest now." Allura said, partly narrowing her eyes. "Any minute we waste is another moment closer for Zarkon to reach us. I may have been able to block the heart from his power but I don't know how long it will last."

"Aw, come on! You got to bond with _your_ lion!" Lance whined little a little child.

"Actually, I'm getting kind of hungry too." Pidge said before rubbing her shoulders, "And my arms are tired from all that swimming."

Keith did agree with Allura in which they couldn't risk loosing anymore time in case Zarkon came after them again. Still, judging by the looks on his friend's faces, they did appear to be rather exhausted, and hungry. Even he himself was noticing his stomach running on empty. The merpeople's food was tasty, but it was light in comparison to land food. If anything, it felt more like a pre-meal desert than anything.

"Well, there are actually some swamp moons nearby." Coran suggested.

Allura cringed. "Coran, you can't be serious. Those things are disgusting!"

"Only on the outside. In fact, these moons are surrounded by a special kind of gravitational field that makes it appear as if they are dead. We used to hide out in them from the Galra back in my military days. Trust me, the smell is only on the outside. Inside, it's quite different."

"So, it's like when an animal covers itself in filth to disguise its scent?" Pidge said, adjusting her glasses.

"Exactly! Plus, I am feeling a bit peckish myself."

Keith pondered for a moment, noticing the eyes of his friends all on him, yet again. It would appear the votes were in, and the decision was unanimous. "I think one small break wouldn't hurt anyone."

While Allura still didn't want to just delay their mission, given there was no guarantee they would be safe from Zarkon being able to detect them via the heart, but they would be secured within one of the swamp moons. She prayed it would be as clean inside as Coran had described. Plus, she was also in the need for something to eat as well.

"Alright." Allura said with a sigh, "I hope you're right, Coran."

"Trust me, Princess. We'll be perfectly safe there." Coran tapped on the dashboard, locating a swamp moon not too far ahead. The ship soon arrived at a nearby swamp moon, which looked much like any ordinary moon a military pilot would find in space, aside from the large disgustingly colored clouds that surrounded it. It appeared as if the air was made out of nothing but pollution. Allura and the others had heard all about the history of Earth before it was destroyed, and how pollution was a very slow death for its inhabitants. If the Galra had not blown up the planet during its reign of intergalactic conquest, then the dirty air and oil spills most certainly would have done the job at some point.

They could smell the stench even from inside the ship. Or at least they thought they could smell it. The clouds were so thick and swarming in random patches of brown, sickly yellow green, black and gray it felt as if they were staring at a river where animals would both use to clean themselves and use as nature's toilet.

Hunk was already beginning to lose his appetite. "Uh, Coran, you sure that's the right swamp moon?"

"Oh, I'm sure." Coran accelerated the ship's speed and went right into the clouds. Hunk felt nauseous and vomited right then and there. Though, quite frankly, everyone was already used to it at this point. Looking at one of their own puke what little food he had was surprisingly less repulsive than the moon itself.

However, once the ship passed the clouds, the younger members stared in wide eyed wonder. The moon resembled an actual planet more than anything else. A small one in comparison, but still. There ground was mostly made out of rocks and minerals, but there was a lake of clean water, and some trees with fresh green leafs. Coran smiled proudly at seeing everyone's reaction. The older man was right, the swamp moon was VERY different inside than outside. The clouds were cleaner inside than they were outside, and they could still see every star in space. Coran landed the ship near the lake and everyone exited one by one. Lance inhaled deeply, taking in the fresh, clean, air.

"It smells like a forest!" he said, leaping out, happy to touch solid ground. As much as he enjoyed water and snow, nobody could go wrong with good old fashioned earth.

Allura blinked and smiled in awe at the stunning sight. "Wow…I was very, _very_ wrong about these things."

"See? I told you!" Coran said while playfully nudging her elbow.

The cargo hatch opened up, allowing for the two lions to exit. Balto and the mice happily chased one another while the lions roared happily. The two animals immediately started running around the area, racing side by side like playful little children. They halted for a moment to nuzzle their respected paladins. Allura could sense how happy Red was, and Lance's smile was a perfect representation of how his lion was feeling.

Hunk took some bags filled with the food the Arisuans had given them out of the ship. He clapped his hands before rubbing them. "Okay, who's in the mood for some of Hunk's homemade cuisine?"

Lance rose his hand excitedly, "I am!"

"Alright!" Pidge exclaimed, her stomach roaring for his food.

"Count me in!" Keith said with an excited smile.

Allura tilted her head curiously, "I'm sorry, what?" she asked. Keith couldn't help but notice how cute she looked when she was curious.

"Hunk is a food enthusiast." Keith replied.

"I prefer the term, Enthusiastic Gourmand with and incredible pallet." Hunk said, placing his hand over his chest, beaming with pride. "First, we'll need a fire."

"Oh, I can help with that." Allura turned to her lion, who hovered over Hunk. "Red, sweetie. Would you mind?"

The red lion aims its mouth while Hunk recoiled in terror, covering himself, bracing for the impact. All that came out of the lion was a less lethal beam of fire that formed a small crater on the ground, complete with fire. Hunk blinked, while still in his recoiled position before realizing.

"Oh…okay then. I'm never gonna get used to that." Hunk rummaged through the Aursian food and his creativity started to flow. For Hunk, food was his art. The talented young mechanic could make anything taste good with the right ingredient. "Keith, mind lending me your knife, please?" he asked, extending his hand towards his friend, his eyes still on the food.

Keith complied, but not before removing the heart from the side of the dagger. Allura watched in bewilderment as Hunk began preparing their meal. He sliced and diced various vegetables, fruits, while also using a think rock as a frying pan over the fire to cook the meat and flipping it over with a spatula.

"Where do you get that?" Allura asked.

"I never leave home without my lucky spatula! Ya never know!"

Coran had rolled over some rocks for everyone to sit around the fire. Allura sat on hers first, with Keith to her right. Balto leaped onto Keith's lap barking happily while the mice sat on Allura's shoulder. one gray female mouse scurried down towards Pidge. She happily invited the little one and sat to Allura's left, watching as Lance played around with his lion. He laughed and ran alongside the robotic creature, alongside Red. Pidge studied the lion's movements.

"Incredible. The design on the lions is so mathematically elegant. Their fit is a 100 times more frictionless than any exoskeleton we have on earth. And yet, they move and behave almost like any living, breathing animal. It's so…amazing!"

"Calm down, Pidge, you're drooling." Keith said with a chuckle.

Pidge blushed in embarrassment, wiping off a small bit of saliva from her lower lip which managed to escape. "Oh, and you didn't when you saw the inside of a ship for the first time?"

Keith flinched, his face now as red as his jacket. "I didn't drool!" he shouted through gritted teeth.

"Shiro said you did!"

Keith's face became even redder when Allura giggled. She wasn't laughing at him, she just found their bantering kind of adorable. Having grown up as an only child, Allura never had any brothers or sisters to keep her company. Seeing these two playfully tease one another indicated they had a pretty close bond.

"It's okay, Keith. I had a similar reaction during my first time."

Keith blinked in surprise. "Really?"

"Yes. When I was around six-years-old, my parents took me to see the military ships during the performance test. Mother managed to persuade father to let me ride on his lap during flight." Allura paused, her eyes fixated on the dancing flames before her. She giggled. "When it was over, I was crying all afternoon. I didn't want it to end."

She noticed both Pidge and Keith were silent, intrigued by her story. "That was when I first became interested in becoming a pilot. To see the galaxy and what was out there."

"Wow." was all Keith managed to say. It wasn't just because of the passionate way Allura spoke about how she came to love piloting…but the way her eyes lit up when she did. The flames made her blue orbs iridescent and her face was practically glowing. Keith could feel his cheek heating up again, and his heart skipping. A small smile slowly formed across his lips. Allura noticed him staring at her. She self cautiously looked away, but smiled soggily none the less, shyly placing strands of her silver hair behind her ear. The warm gaze of Keith's beautiful eyes made her heart all a flutter. Pidge only watched the two with a beaming smile that neither of them noticed. They were a bit too busy looking at each other.

"What about you?" Allura asked, finally managing to find the words. "What first got you interested in flying?"

Keith blinked, feeling as if he had just woken from a dream. Thankfully, he heard her words clearly. "My brother. He got more into it before I did the first time, but it didn't take long for me to get sucked in as well."

As he spoke, Lance approached the group, sitting on his rock beside Pidge. The red and blue lions sat on their stomachs around the camp fire. Coran also sat patiently on his rock, not too far from Keith, where an empty rock kept the distance between them. The sweet aroma of the food filled the air as Keith continued his story.

"We would watch the launch on live television, play with model rockets, and our dad would sometimes take us on joy rides on his motor bike. Sometimes, our parents would stay up late with us, gazing at the stars, watching meteor showers." Keith laughed, "Shiro constantly tried discovering new constellations, but really he was just connecting random dots and gave then names!"

"Oh, I remember that one time he named one the old lady with a chihuahua on her head! Ha, ha!" Pidge laughed. Hunk laughed as well, even while sprinkling some spice and sauce over the meals.

Lance slapped his knee. "Ha, ha! Oh man, that guy was always a riot! This one time, Commander Iverson was yelling at me because I wrecked the simulator for, I think the third time that week. I told him to take a chill pill, and he looks down on me and says, "Don't get smart with me, maggot!" but I couldn't take him seriously because he had a piece of spinach stuck in between his teeth! Then he says "Why you looking at me like that? Do I look funny to you?" and I told him, "No, sir. You look very…" Lance snickered, "Healthy!" And then Shiro said, "Indeed, Commander. That new diet is doing wonders for your complexion. And your teeth." Ha, ha, ha!"

Keith, Pidge, Hunk, Allura and even Coran laughed to the point where they had to try and keep themselves from falling right off of their seats. Keith hunched over, covering his face while laughing. He felt his stomach would burst. "Yeah, that definitely sounds like him!"

"Food's ready!" Hunk called out, handing everyone a plate of a mouth watering meal. Five slices of Arusian meat were perfectly placed together, sprinkled with a delicious sauce and spices. Green colored mash potatoes with Arusian mushrooms and slices of an Arusian purple pear was placed to adorn the meal and add that extra bit of sweetness.

Everyone else thanked Hunk before diving in. Allura and Coran cringed a bit at how the others devoured the meal like raved animals. They admitted the food looked and smelled good, but was it really worth them gorging on it like that?

Never the less, Allura took a bite, and in an instant her taste buds felt as if they were on fire. The good kind that reminded you you were alive. The princess had completely forgotten all of her royal manners and adequate and started eating almost as fast as the others, while savoring the taste.

"Wow! This is incredible! It's better than anything I have ever tasted!" she said after swallowing her food and continued to eat.

Hunk smiled proudly at his work. "Your welcome. It's my mom's special recipe. It's a good thing Arusian spices aren't so different from the ones back at Altea." he kissed his fingers proudly, " _Magnifique!_ "

As Keith ate, he noticed Balto whimpering while raising his front paws. The poor little fella was begging for something to eat as well. Keith happily offered him a bit of his food, until Hunk stopped him.

"No, no, no! That won't be necessary." Hunk pulled out from behind his rock an extra place with more meat, and sauce on it, made special for Balto. The little coyote wagged his tail and happily devoured his food. "Thought I forgot about ya, huh? Oh, and for the little ones." Hunk also got another plate, filled with tiny slices of Arusian berried and fruits for the mice to enjoy. The blue lion gave a soft growl at Hunk.

"Oh, sorry. I wasn't sure what to make you guys since, you know, you're robots and all. Well, technically you're magical robot lions. Do magical robot lions eat?"

Lance chuckled and patted the side of his lion's lower jaw. "He's just messing with ya, Hunk. Blue here's quite the jokester."

"No wonder you're such a good match." Keith said with a chuckle.

Lance heard his lion growl happily. "Don't worry, buddy. We'll find the rest of your family soon."

"Speaking of families, Pidge how did your brother take it when you said you were going on an intergalactic adventure to find an ancient robot?" Hunk asked.

"I called Matt while we were on Arus. I explained to him the entire thing. He was upset at first, but I told him I couldn't abandon my friends. We came to an understanding and now I'm just waiting for my mom to think of the right punishment for when I get back home."

Keith averted his gaze, looking ashamed. "I'm sorry, Pidge. You just got your family back together and it feels as if we just dragged you away."

"It's fine. I choose to join you guys. Well, technically I didn't have much of a choice seeing is I had no idea Allura would start the ship and blast off into deep space."

The princess blushed. "Yeah, sorry about that."

"It's okay. Besides, even if I did have a say in it I wouldn't leave you guys hanging. You'd be lost without me." Pidge said with an arrogant grin.

Keith, Hunk and Lance laughed in agreement. "No argument there!" Hunk said.

"And look on the bright side, at least we're on this crazy adventure together." Lance said, playfully elbowing her shoulder. "You've got your wacky second _familia_ right here!"

Coran chuckled happily at the tender scene. "You know, you kids remind me of me and my old crew back when I was still a pilot. Ah, those were the days."

"What made you give it up?" Keith asked curiously. Allura's expression fell, for she knew the answer.

"Well, aside from being a pilot, I was also the king's right hand advisor. So, when the queen passed away I just didn't have the heart to leave King Alfor and Allura to go back into action." his face fell as he began reminiscing on years gone by. "I've seen many strange and wondrous places, as well as things many wish they haven't seen. I've seen the good, and the bad."

"How did you manage?" Lance asked. "I know a lot of pilots don't come back the same way again."

"I know my father didn't." Allura said sadly. One of the mice nuzzled against her cheek to comfort her and Pidge placed a supportive hand on her arm. It was enough to earn a soft smile from the princess.

Keith could empathize with Allura. After all, not too long ago he lost his older brother in the hands of the Galra Empire. Shiro knew the risks of taking a position such as this, but he also knew why he did it.

"Yes, it's true." Coran continued, "Not everyone is cut out to be a pilot, and sometimes the jobs takes away more than they wish for. I guess, what always kept me going was that I didn't always focus on the bad, but also the good. When Queen Luxia was reunited with her daughters, it took me back to the days where we would rescue Galra prisoners and enslaved planets. Sure, not every one of my stories had a happy ending, but the hope of saving at least one or two more lives. The joyful tears of families uniting, finding that small glimmer of hope amongst all the pain and suffering…it made it all worth it. A pilot's job is to lay down his or her own life for others."

"That's why you left." Keith concluded, a soft smile across his lips. "You gave up your career as a pilot to protect the royal family."

"Exactly. You brother knew that as well as anyone. He was not only a very talented pilot, but also a great man, a great leader, and a great friend."

Keith sucked in his lips, feeling as if he would shed a tear or two. Before one even so much as welled up with tears, he immediately wiped his eyes. Ironically, the gesture was enough to make one roll down his cheek. One of the mice leaped onto his shoulder with a tiny hankie and wiped it off. Keith allowed the furry creature to jump into his palm and rubbed his head with his index finger as a sign of gratitude for his kindness.

Hunk had waterfalls coming out of his eyes, wiping them away with his sleeve, but to no avail. "That's so sad, and deep, and beautiful all at the same time!"

Coran tapped the young man's shoulder, "There, there, it's okay." he kindly handed him a hankie, which Hunk immediately took and blew his nose into it, so hard it sounded like a trumpet. Once he was finished, he handed the now dripping hankie to Coran. He cringed and tossed it aside, shuddering in disgust.

"Seriously Hunk, I haven't seen you cry this much since the first time we watched The Incredible Journey."

"Oh, please don't bring it up, it still gets me every time!" Hunk whimpered, still wiping away his tears.

Keith leaned in closer to Allura, "He cries pretty much during every movie night."

"Wow, you guys must _really_ like your sad movies." Allura said in surprise.

"Oh no, he cries during the sad parts, the happy parts, and the scary parts."

"What about the funny parts?"

" _Don't you dare say it!_ " Hunk pointed a threatening finger at Keith, his tears now almost completely gone. "I swear Keith, so help me I'll-"

"Okay, okay!" Keith rose his arms in surrender, but he couldn't suppress his laughter. "I'll stop right there!" despite being sincere in his words, Keith couldn't stop himself from laughing. His laughter was contagious in which nearly everybody was laughing as well. Hunk quickly calmed down, just joining in the fun.

"So, how long have you four known each other?" Allura asked.

"About two years." Lance said, "Hunk, Pidge and I met during our first year at the Garrison. Pidge was a child prodigy so she enrolled earlier than most freshmen."

"Shiro and my brother had known each other for years, so that's how I knew him." Pidge explained. "We actually met Keith through Shiro."

"There was this Military Picnic Party and Shiro brought Keith along with him."

Keith covered his face in humiliation. "Oh, guys, no, please!"

"What? I'm just answering her question."

"She asked who long we've known each other, not how we met!"

"Actually I would like to hear that story." Allura said.

"Me too!" Coran said, raising his hand.

Keith groaned, covering his face in humiliation. "There's nothing to tell! I didn't want to go but Shiro dragged me into it!"

Lance continued, "Anyway. When we first saw those two, we thought they could not be more opposites. I mean, Shiro was the friendly superstar pilot, while Keith was off moping in a corner."

"That was because everybody else was avoiding me." Keith said, remembering the event like it was yesterday. It was a bright and sunny summer afternoon, and Keith was leaning against a tree while everybody else was having a great time. Shiro tried to get him to join in the fun, but whenever Keith even so much as tried to start a conversation, someone would make up an excuse to leave.

"So, what did you do?" Allura asked.

"I got bored and just took my bike for a ride."

"What he didn't know, was that I had just gotten my new Garrison motor bike and was trying to show off for the ladies." Lance said with a cocky grin. "Then in comes Keith, zooming on his bike at the same time as me, and I think "Hey, this dude's trying to one-up me!" So, I challenged him to a race..."

Lance remembered the moment almost as clearly as if it happened only a week ago. The wind flapped in his short, brown hair, hearing the girls swooning from afar. Multiple surprised gasps were heard and a red motor bike came zooming past him, with a young man on board. Some of the girls giggled flirtatiously, no doubt impressed by the boy's speed. This immediately ignited Lance's envious side and accelerated his speed. The mysterious stranger had no idea why this boy was racing him all of a sudden.

"What are you doing?" Keith asked.

"Oh, like you don't know!"

"No. I don't. Who are you?"

"The name's Lance, and if you think you're going to one up me, you're dead wrong!"

Keith only shrugged, "Whatever." he said before zooming away. Lance proceeded with the race. Keith really didn't want any part of it, but it would appear this boy, Lance, just wasn't going to quit. So, he decided to go with it and race him. The race carried on across the field, where multiple party goers watched the two speed by. The race came to a halt near the entrance to the picnic. Lance wanted to slam his fist into the side of his bike. He couldn't believe he was bested by some random guy who didn't even study at the Garrison.

Keith removed his helmet and laughed, much to Lance's confusion. "Hey, you're pretty good."

"Huh?"

"Yeah. That was actually kind of fun."

Lance cocked his head in confusion. "Are you for real?"

It was then when the girls Lance was flirting with came rushing to the two boys, though their attention was aimed more at Keith…until they got a good look at him and one recoiled in disgust. "That's the Galra boy!"

The others girls mirrored her reaction and stepped away from Keith. The thrill of the race was now gone, and Keith was right back from where he started. He had gone on his bike to get away from everything, and for a moment he was having fun racing with some random Garrison student, but he didn't mind. It was as much fun as the races he and Shiro would have. But, now it was back to reality.

Lance shared the girl's same reaction. He had heard about Shiro's half-brother, but he never imagined he would actually see him. Let alone in public. Keith didn't pay any attention to the girls and simply parked his bike somewhere and returned to the refreshment table, looking dejected.

For a moment, Lance actually felt sympathy for the guy. As someone who grew up with a multitude of brothers and sisters, it was often hard for him to stand out. So, seeing this kid, who stood out in a way that nobody wanted to be around him, made him feel a pang on guilt. When the girls surrounded Lance, asking if the Galra kid had done anything to him, Lance instead only shrugged them off and found Keith at the table where Hunk was offering drinks and snacks. Pidge stood next to him, the two engaged in conversation when Keith showed up.

Hunk immediately felt a shiver go up his spine when the half-Galra appeared before him. Pidge only widened her eyes but did a better job collecting herself. Keith didn't appear to be dangerous, but still, the reality of being near a Galra, let alone a half one, still made a lot of people feel uncomfortable.

"Um…can I help you?" Hunk asked, his voice trembling slightly.

"Relax, I just came for a drink." Keith said in a monotone voice.

"Make that two drinks!" Keith heard another voice appear beside him. It was that Lance fellow who wanted to race him earlier. "I see you've met Hunk and Pidge."

The two blinked in surprise. "Yeah. You two know each other?" Pidge asked in surprise.

"Not really." Keith said, rising a brow at the blue-eyed boy, who hesitated to speak.

"Listen, sorry about the misunderstanding back there. I thought you were trying to steal my thunder."

"He can't steal what's not there." Pidge muttered, and Lance narrowed his eyes in annoyance. Surprisingly, it was enough to utter a small chuckle from Keith. This actually got Pidge to smile, who knew somebody would find her sassy comebacks funny.

Keith took a whiff of something beside Hunk. "What's that smell?"

Hunk pulled out a plate of freshly baked cookies. "Oh yeah, I just made a fresh new batch."

Keith took one bite of one and smiled. "Wow. These are really good. You made these yourself?"

"Oh yeah. My own personal recipe. I added a bit of cinnamon into the mix with a pinch of mint to give it that extra zing!"

Keith took another bike, savoring it, and indeed there was a tasty little "zing" as Hunk would place it. He didn't know something with that description would taste so good. "Wow. That's incredible!"

"Yeah! Finally, somebody notices!"

"They're just cookies, Hunk." Lance said, rolling his eyes.

Hunk scoffed, "Just cookies? _Just_ cookies? Next thing I suppose you're gonna say the Mona Lisa is just a doodle made with crayon!"

Shiro spotted the group and walked up. "Hey guys. I see you've met my little brother, Keith. Keith, I'd like you to meet Lance, Hunk and Pidge."

"Pidge?" Keith asked in surprise. Who in their right mind named their daughter "Pidge"? Even with the short hair, there was no denying she was a girl.

"Actually, Pigde is a nickname these two yahoos came up with." she said, pointing her thumbs at both Hunk and Lance. "My real name's Katie."

"As in, Katie Holt?"

"Yeah." feeling more comfortable, the young girl offered Keith her hand for her to shake, which he took. "Nice to meet you, Keith."

Shiro heard someone calling his name and patted his brother on the back. "I'll let you guys have fun. Catch ya latter!" he waved farewell, allowing Keith to remain with the three students.

"You guys don't have to talk to me if you don't want to." Keith said, preparing to make his leave, only to be stopped when Hunk offered him a plate of sweet smelling cookies.

"Sure you don't wanna stick around? They'll be handing out cake soon? It's vanilla chocolate!"

Keith's eyes partly widened. He did like chocolate…

"And we've been best buds ever since!" Lance concluded the story. "It was kind of a rocky start, but I'm glad we gave him a chance."

Allura placed her hand over her heart, genuinely touched by the story. "You all are so lucky to have each other."

"Well, you're lucky too." Pidge said, smiling kindly. Allura was a bit perplexed at first, until the true meaning of her words sunk in. Even after she had, in a way, kind of dragged them all into this mess by taking the ship in a desperate attempt to save Red, they welcomed her with open arms. Even Lance, who did nothing but complain and bicker with her, we smiling genuinely, nodding his head in agreement.

"And you too, Coran." Pidge added, making the older Altean smile.

"Aww, listen to you getting all emotional and sweet." Lance said, pressing his hand over his heart and clenching his shirt. "Really feeling the love right now." his eyes then beamed, "Hey, you know what this calls for, right?"

Keith shook his head, "Lance, please no!"

"Campfire Song Dare!"

Keith groaned in exasperation before face palming himself.

"Campfire Song Dare?" Allura asked curiously, "What's that?"

"It's some game Lance came up with." Keith said, folding his arms, "It was like an initiation that they did on me when we met."

"My brothers came up with it." Lance said.

"He did it to me too!" Hunk said with a pout. "I had to sing a stupid Spice Girls song."

"Speak for yourself, he got me to sing Frozen." Pidge said, folding her arms in anger.

"Which song?" Coran asked.

"All of em…in a row."

Lance tilted his head back in laughter, "Oh, that was good!"

"Jokes on you, I crushed it!"

"So, you just sit around a campfire and you dare someone to sing a song of your choice?" Allura asked, connecting the dots rather quickly. "Sounds like torture."

"And, since you're new here, you're going to have to take that dare! You and Coran!"

"I'll happily accept the challenge!" Coran said confidently. "I just so happen to be an excellent singer."

Keith shook his head, "Guys, please don't do this."

"No, it's fine." Allura said before looking at Lance with a smug grin on her face. "What song did you have in mind?"

Lance tapped his chin, until Hunk rose his hand to stop him. "Ap, ap, ap! We _all_ have to pick the song, remember."

"Oh, right, right. Mmmm…." Lance then snapped his fingers, "How about True Colors?"

"That's the song you dared _me_ to sing!" Keith exclaimed.

"I'm all for it." Hunk said, raising his hand.

"Same here!" Pidge also rose her hand.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! I thought you couldn't pick the same song twice." Keith said.

"That's never been a rule." Lance pointed out. "Besides, it's any song of choice. And we pick True Colors! You up for it princess?"

Allura folded her arms, smiling smugly, "Oh, I'm up for it."

Lance rubbed his hands together, "Alright, guys you know what to do. One two. A one, two, three four!"

Pidge, Hunk and Lance harmonized while snapping their fingers to set the rhythm and mood. They often sang A Cappella style, while the newest member sang the words. Keith was the only one who hesitated. "Come on, Keith!"

"No."

"Come on, dude!"

Allura playfully bumped her shoulder with his, smiling in encouragement. She clearly wanted to do this, and in all honesty, Keith didn't know how to say no to a sweet smile like that. He eventually gave in and harmonized with the rest, snapping his fingers as he did so to get the rhythm going. Allura noticed how beautiful Keith's voice sounded, even without words. She suddenly became a bit nervous to sing in front of him, but she was eager to do the dare anyway. It made her feel like she really was part of the group.

 _Oooooohhh_

 _Oooooohhh_

 _Oooooohhh_

 _Oooooohhh, yeah_

 _Oh, oh, oh, oh_

Coran gestured to Allura to go first. She nodded her head and opened her mouth. The moment she did, everyone, save for Coran stared wide eyed, almost forgetting to harmonize along.

 _You with the sad eyes_

 _Don't be discouraged_

 _Oh, I realize_

 _It's hard to take courage_

 _In a world full of people_

 _You can lose sight of it all_

 _The darkness inside you_

 _Can make you feel so small_

The others paused for a brief moment, simply astonished at Allura's sweet, soft, soulful voice. They continued harmonizing, though Keith took a bit longer to continue. Her voice had him locked in a trance. Hearing the snapping allowed him to return to his senses and harmonize along as she sang. Coran quickly joined in, the two Alteans singing in perfect harmony.

 **Coran and Allura:**

 _And I see your True Colors_

 _Shinning through_

 _I see your True Colors_

 _That's why I love you_

 _(That's why I love you!)_

The others harmonized the last verse for effect. Keith remembered when they did the same to him. After he sang the first half of the song, and followed to the chorus, the others would sing along in various parts. It was their way of saying he was one of them. He was more than certain Allura was feeling just as happy as she continued to sing.

 _So don't be afraid_

 _To let them show_

 _(Let them show!)_

 _Your True Colors_

 _True Colors are beautiful_

 _(True Colors are beautiful!)_

Keith became bold enough to sing one solo part. Allura sang along with him, and the two sang along in perfect harmony.

 **Keith:**

 _Like a rainbow…_

 **Allura:**

 _Oh, oh, like a rainbow…_

Lance nodded to Pidge and Hunk, signaling them to let the two continue singing the second half in a duet. Coran decided to let this slide as well. There was no doubt that this Keith boy was alright to be around Allura. He and the others snapped their fingers, harmonizing while the two sang the song together.

 **Keith:**

 _Show me a smile then_

 **Allura:**

 _Don't be unhappy_

 **Together:**

 _Can't remember when_

 _I last saw you laughing_

 _If this world makes you crazy_

 _And you've taken all you can beat_

 _You just call me up_

 _Because I will always be there_

Afterwards, everyone joined in, snapping their fingers as they sang all together.

 _And I see your True Colors_

 _Shinning through_

 _I see your True Colors_

 _That's why I love you_

 _So don't be afraid_

 _(Don't be afraid)_

 _To let them show_

 _Your True Colors_

 _True Colors are beautiful_

 **Allura:**

 _Like a rainbow_

 **Keith:**

 _Oh, oh, oh_

 _Like a rainbow_

 **All Together:**

 _Oooooohhh_

 _Oooooohhh_

 _Oooooohhh_

 _Oooooohhh, yeah_

 _Oh, oh, oh, oh_

Once the some came to an end, everyone clapped and cheered. Allura was blushing, tucking her hair behind her pointed ears. "Wow! You guys were great!" Lance said, "And Coran, you weren't kidding, you really can sing!"

"Ha! I told you!"

Just then, something small and round fell from the sky, and landed softly on Coran's palm. The group noticed various blue/purple illuminating specs which seemed to grow until they became the size of snowballs. One landed on Hunk's head, squashing once it did. He sniffed it and it didn't really smell like anything.

"What are those?" Pidge asked.

"Oh, it's raining spores." Coran said, "Nothing to worry about, happens all the time in these swamp moons. Fun fact, they actually-Ow! Hey!" the older Altean was hit in the head by one spore, but not because it fell on him, but because Lance had thrown it at him.

"Oops, sorry Coran, I was trying to hit Keith." he said…only to get hit in the face with a spore. The substance rolled down his face, while Keith chuckled victoriously at his lucky shot.

"Ha, like that?"

Allura had another spore hit her head, which was actually from Hunk. "Hey!"

"Sorry, I was aiming for Lance." Hunk apologized, and was then hit in the face with another spore thrown at him by Allura. He wiped the spore from his face, now wearing a look of pure determination. "Oh, it's on now." two more spores fell and he grabbed him with his hands. "Squishy snowball fight!"

Hunk hurled two spores at Keith and Allura. One managed to hit Keith right in the face, while another hit Pidge it was enough to knock her on her back. Wiping her face, she picked up a spore and started throwing. Even Coran himself joined in the mad fun. The brightly squishy substance covered their cloths and hair, but none of them seemed to care. Even some of the lions rounded up getting covered with the spores, but it didn't bother them all that much, since the substance just slid right off their metallic bodies.

While more and more spores were being throne at no one specifically, Keith and Allura too temporary shelter behind a tree, laughing like they haven't had in a long time.

"You know, taking a break turned out to be a pretty good idea after all." Allura said…only to have another spore thrown at her face, curtesy of Keith. He laughed as she chased after him, while getting hit by various other spores from everybody else.

(~)

 **This is, without a shadow of a doubt, my FAVORITE chapter by far! Just a simple, sweet character bonding chapter, a chance for everyone to become closer and share their friendship with newcomers.**

 **Next chapter, we get back to the action.**

 **God bless, *kiss kiss***


	11. Chapter 11

(~)

The Olkari were a somewhat meek looking race with pale, grayish green skin and leaf-like antennas which doubled as brows. Their heads were pointed at the top, making them appear as if they were wearing hats. Their eyes were purple above, and green at the bottom, each Olkari had red irises. The defenseless species wore ragged, purple clothing as they pressed their hands against the wall. Purple colored auras emitted from their fingertips, which accelerated the construction process.

A Galra soldier, large in stature and intimidating in presence, the mere sight could strike fear into the hearts of anyone who dared to look him in his yellow pupil-less eyes. His chin was large and well defined, with sharp teeth sticking out from how lower jaw, even when his mouth was closed. A purple spike adorned the arch of his head as well as on his chin. The right side of his face was forged with metal, along with his ear. His left eye was glowing orange, which matched some of the pieces on his gray, black and silver full body armor.

Thace approached the soldier. Hands behind his back, looking out the window of the control room, watching as the poor species slaved the day away. Thace, in comparison to the commander, was shorter, appearing to be middle-aged with high defined cheek bones, and lines under his eyes, giving the impression he was always exhausted, but his yellow orbs and brows frozen in a narrowed position indicated he thrived on no matter how tired his bones, and mind, became. His hair was styled almost like two ears sticking out, two purple/white colored streaks ran across both sides, and a single small spike around the arc of his head. He had purple side burns and a well kept beard.

"How is progress." He asked the commander. Even his tone of voice was soften in comparison to other Galra.

"Would be better if you didn't keep asking me every hour."

"It is not up to me. Zarkon wishes for his weapon to be finished as soon as possible. You were the one who practically begged him to lead this experiment just so you can kiss up to the Emperor."

"I wouldn't tempt my patience if I were you, Thace. You're still walking on a tightrope after what happened eighteen years ago."

Thace's stoic expression never wavered. He didn't even look at the commander. However, while Thace often kept an emotionless exterior at all times, there were some rare occasions where his brows would loosen, his mouth would open slightly in alarm, and a Galra could notice a small trace of mercy in his eyes. For a Galra, mercy was synonymous with any foul language. The kind of words that one would gasp in horror and be immediately repulsed to even be in the same room as the person who said it.

Out in the platform, a small Olkari child started to cry. He couldn't have been no less than five or six-years-old, and he was forced to work alongside the other adults. He couldn't carry on much longer and fell to his knees. His mother instinctively held him in her arms and a Galra guard, wielding a gun in hand, marched towards the mother and her weeping child. She gasped and held her baby tighter. The soldier took the mother from the back of her head. She yelled in excruciating pain before she was tossed aside. Various other Olkari rushed to her aid and the guard towered over the child.

"Is that really necessary?" Thace asked the commander. "You know children aren't as capable of resilient as a full grown adult."

"Zarkon's orders were to accelerate the construction process. I use any method that works to push them further." the commander said, smiling sadistically as the guard took the child by the collar and aimed a gun at it. The mother's cries pierced Thace's ears and his instincts reacted. He may have been shorter, but his strength was equal to any larger Galra. He slammed the commander against a wall, pressing his hand hard against his chest. His eyes burned like hot coals while aiming the commander's own gun at his face.

"Release the child! _Now!"_

Normally, this act of rebellion would be punished. But, given that Thace was part of Zarkon's main fleet, he could say anything to the leader and the commander would be payed dearly. Lying to get on top wasn't anything new for the Galra who served Zarkon, so why should it make a difference here. The commander wanted nothing more than to return to the main fleet after the project was finished. He'd take any chance he had to get on the Emperor's good side. Even if it meant succumbing to this weakling's demands.

The commander pressed a button on the control panel, his voice going through the intercom. "Leave the child! He's slowing the progress anyway. Leave him to rot on the forest."

The solider complied and dropped the child. He ran as quickly as he could, his mother shouting out, begging him to leave. She'd rather he be far away from this place than be forced to work himself to death.

Thace released the commander, who started to laugh. "What's so funny?"

"I just find this incredibly ironic. Considering what you did eighteen years ago."

Thace averted his gaze. He did not say a word after that.

(~)

"Here we are! Olkarian!" Coran neared the planet, entering its atmosphere. The planet had a very desert-like coloring to it, making feel like a mixture of autumn in a a summer afternoon. The sky, the clouds, everything was tinted in a golden brown hue. Pidge, on the other hand, was more fixated on the high tech city overhead.

"Wow! The city looks amazing! This is so great, we finally get to find a lion at a cool place!"

"Actually, Pidge, the Green Lion isn't located in the city." Allura said, the coordinates from the heart having revealed to her exactly where the green lion was located to begin their search. "It's located in the forest."

Pidge's shoulder dropped in disappointment. "Aww, man!"

"Makes sense, I mean your lion is connected to nature." Keith said, which only made Pidge groan louder in frustration. The ship made its way past the city, which was larger than anything Pidge had ever seen. The sun was rising just overhead, making the metallic building glisten in the light. The mint-green neon lights only made the city appear more radiant.

Pidge stared longingly out the window as the ship mades its way towards the forest. A row of orange leaf trees went on as far as the eye could see. Several winged alien creatures flew by the window, catching Allura's attention. While Pidge was more into technology, Allura was definitely a nature lover. Aside from piloting, seeing the exotic flora and fauna was always a treat for her. Balto barked happily at the sight of the animals, tapping his paw against the glass as if attempting to grab them. Allura giggled and held the pup in her arms.

"It's beautiful."

Pidge shrugged, "Eh, if you're into that sort of thing."

Keith heard a swooshing sound coming from outside. Sure enough, he spotted an assortment of what appeared to be arrows shooting at the ship. Everyone else took notice of this, and thought it was odd that somebody would be shooting flimsy wooden arrows at a large, military space ship. Unless they were the explosive type, but they had yet to explode once they made contact with the ship.

From underneath, several arrows managed to attach themselves to the ship. A blue aura emitted and suddenly Coran found himself unable to control where it was heading.

"What was that?" Hunk asked.

Allura looked out, with Balto growling protectively in her arms. "Are we being attacked?"

"I'm not sure, but my ship's not responding." Coran tapped on various controls but his attempts went in vain. "We're being dragged down to the surface!"

It felt as if some kind of invisible force was pulling the ship, and everyone in it, towards one direction. The feeling was almost similar to when the Galra ship was sucking them in with a tractor beam back on Arus. Thankfully, this one didn't feel, or appeared lethal.

The ship came close to the ground, the wings hitting various leafs and branches, which fell upon the metal surface, and only the window. The ship descended to a clearing in the forest, where they spotted some green skinned aliens, wielding armed guns and spears. Beside them were what appeared to be mecha suits, made out of wood and leafs, yet they were constructed to resemble the weapons to a T.

Hunk cocked his head at the sight. "Are those wooden mech suits?"

"Are you kidding me? We got taken down by a bunch of tree people!" Lance scoffed.

"They're the Olkari." Allura said, "Let's greet them."

"Uh, how are you not seeing the pointy spears and guns pointing at us?" Hunk said, pointing his fingers at the said weapons being held by the aliens.

"If they wanted to hurt us they would have by now. They're probably haven't seen a military ship in a while." the princess stepped out of the ship, with Balto right beside her. The little coyote remained by her side in case she needed protection. Allura rose one hand, as a sign of surrender.

"Please, do not be alarmed. We come in peace."

One of the Olkari, an older female, approached the young princess removing her hood. Unlike the other Olkari, she had a single red dot on her forehead.

"Is it possible? Are you an Altean?"

"Yes. I am Princess Allura." she introduced herself with a bow. Balto sniffed the female Olkari's feet before sitting down, panting while wagging his tail. "And, this little one is Balto."

The Okari squatted down, petting the furry creature's head, much to his delight. "Then we welcome you to our home. I am Ryner."

Allura turned to the others, "It's okay, you guys can come out!"

One by one, everyone exited the ship, and, even without their say so, the red and blue lions also exited the cargo hold, presenting themselves to the Olkari. Ryner gasped.

"Could it be? Are those the lions of Voltron?"

"Well, two of them anyway. That's kind of why we came here." Keith pulled out his knife, revealing to Ryner the white stone. "The heart led us to this planet."

Ryner placed her hands together, as if to say a prayer. "Oh, Praise the Nalea! The prophesy has come true!" the rest of the Olkai cheered with delight, welcoming their guests with open arms.

"They have come to rescue us!" one random young Okari shouted happily.

Lance cocked his head. "Rescue you? From what?"

The cheers stopped and Ryner looked at them all with concern. "You do not know?"

"No." Keith replied sadly, "What happened?"

(~)

Ryner led the team to their village in the forest. Trees as tall as buildings with lush, green/gray colored leafs blocked out the sunlight, but the air they created was cool and refreshing. Ryner walked up to the side of a tree, which had a metallic staircase where she could show them the rest of the village. Metal houses with mint-green neon lights adorned the corners of the trees, serving as homes for the Olkari. More and more of the same lights could be seen overhead, appearing more and more like a city within a forest. Even Pidge had to admit it was a stunning sight. It was like entering a painting into another world she could only see in her imagination.

"I believe it is no accident the heart brought you here to find the green lion." Ryner explained once they reached the edge of the tree, standing before a wooden railing. "Our home has been overtaken by Galra. When they attacked, only a few of us escaped the cities. We were forced to flee into the forest."

"How long have you lived like this?" Keith asked.

"Many decafeebs. But, as you can see, our people are resilient. We never stopped evolving. Instead, we adapted out skills to the environment."

Pidge ran like an excitable child once Ryner led them back down to the center of their forest home. At the very center, vines rose upwards, wrapping around one another, creating a wooden base, and a glowing orb resided in the center, with vines wrapped around it, large agape openings allowed for all to witness the orb almost entirely. The vines themselves have long become frozen in time, but the rod made them appear as if they were still alive.

One young Okari was tampering with pieces of wood and leafs. Pidge stared in wonder as the Olkari magically transformed the simple materials into a dragon fly, with the leafs serving as wings, and the same neon lights served as eyes and symbols across its body. The young Olkari smiled with satisfaction once he allowed the toy to fly off. Pidge giggled as it came by.

"Coran was right, Ryner. You really are the most incredible engineers in the universe. To be able to switch from working with precision machinery to a bunch of sticks!"

"Nature's designs are superior to any that we could devise." Ryner said.

"No offense, but I'll take my computer over a tree any day."

Keith, as politely as he could, inserted himself into the conversation. "You two can talk science latter. Right now, we need to find the green lion and get rid of these Galra invaders. We may have a fighting chance with three more lions on our side."

"I would gladly show you where the green lion is hidden." Ryner said, "It is inaccessible to anyone else, but I'm sure its paladin can find it."

(~)

Back at the work place, the Olkari continuously worked on the Galra's project. He hatted being forced to use their wonderful talents for such evil, but they had no other choice. They have lost so many already, they couldn't bare to loose anyone else. Their spirits broke and crumbled more and more each day. Unfortunately, for the Galra commander, those broken spirits did not make the job any easier. Or faster.

"They're all a bunch of slaves with magical metal working powers. They're taking an awfully long time to finish my super weapon."

"You mean, Zarkon's super weapon." Thance corrected him.

"Yes, of course. Perhaps they need a little bit of…motivation." the commander turned to one of his soldiers. "Show them their king!"

From outside, four Galra drones floated above the Olkari. They formed a perfect square shape, and a screen manifested in between them. The image revealed an older, more plump looking Olkari, trapped head lock. He wore a small golden band around the pointed end of his head. Two long, fin-like material hun from both sides of his lower chin, resembling a two piece beard of some kind. He also wore a pair of rings on his right hand. The Olkari ceased their work and gasped at the sight of their king, pleading for his life.

"No! No more! Please don't hurt me!"

The Olkari weeped at their leader being treated with such cruelty. If they refused to work, then their king would die right then and there, and they would all witness it. This was enough to encourage the Olkari to place more effort into their work. The king had done all he could to protect his people, the least they could do was save his life as he tried so desperately to save theirs.

The Galra commander smiled in satisfaction once the neon lights of the weapon glowed intensely. "That's more like it."

As the Olkari worked tirelessly, Thace made certain the commander did not see the traces of regret in his eyes.

(~)

Ryner led the group through the forest until they reached a lake. Compared to everything else in the forest, this specific area appeared more tropical. Even the shoreline was white and golden like the sands on the beach, but the water was fresh like a river's. The team heard some soft moans coming to their left side and immediately jumped in surprise to see some kind of sloth-like creature manifest itself before them. Ryner was the only one who remained unfazed.

"Do not be alarmed." she said, "This is the keeper. He has protected this area for decafeebs."

The sloth-like creature stepped towards a wooden canoe, which had a lion's head carved onto the front. He turned to look at Pidge, and silently invited her to ride on the boat.

"So, should I go by myself?" she asked.

"The guard will only allow two to board his boat." Ryner explained.

The sloth pointed his long nails to only one person in particular. The Altean princess.

"Me?"

"Yes. He's very picky about who rides." Ryner said, "Clearly, he sees you too a worthy to ride along with the paladin."

"Well, alright then."

Coran stopped her by placing a hand on her shoulder. "Be careful, princess."

"I'll be fine, Coran." Allura boldly got into the canoe, along with Pidge. She waved farewell to the others once the sloth rowed the canoe along the river.

"We'll be back!"

As they parted, Lance folded his arms in annoyance. "Hump! Typical. The girls get to have all the fun!"

As they made their way, several more adorable alien creature came out of hiding. Yellow with long white ears and multiple legs like a caterpillar happily squeaked in harmony, making beautiful music. Pidge chuckled at the adorableness. The sky became dark and the two realized they were going under a stone arc, which had a stone depiction of a lion. No doubt they were getting close. Pidge suddenly felt droplets of water on her face, and turned to see that Allura was playfully splashing water at her new friend, making her giggle.

(~)

Ryner led her new companions back to the village, only to witness the people surrounding something. Ryner made her way through and spotted a young child, dressed in ragged cloths, crying his eyes out. Ryner rushed towards the child, comforting him.

"What's wrong little one? What happened?"

"The Galra! My mother was only trying to protect me! I escaped but-but…" the little Olkari boy weeped into Ryner's arms. He couldn't say the rest. The memory of his mother being pulled away from him, and the gun pointing directly at him was too much for him to take.

"It's alright. You're safe now. Everything will be alright."

Keith could only stand by, watching as the child weeped in Ryner's arms. His heart tore in two seeing such a young innocent child being succumbed to such cruelty. This only ignited his ambition to take down the Galra who had enslaved these innocent people.

(~)

"I know the heart said this is supposed to be my lion, but what if the stone is wrong? I mean, it's probably not wrong, it's a magical stone, but I'm not a pilot, even though I always wanted to be a pilot. I mean, I've read all the fighter manuals but I never got to fly the simulator. But hey, I can't be worse than Lance, he crashed _all the time_."

As the younger girl continued to ramble, the sloth looked over his shoulder, seeing Allura sitting silently and shrugged. The canoe went further and fourth into a cave, where markings of the lion could be seen, green moss grew around the walls.

"But what if I get in there and it doesn't respond? What if I get in there and it's too big and my feet don't touch the pedals? What if there aren't even pedals?!"

Pidge heard Allura giggle from behind, "If you keep rambling like that you'll get your tongue in a knot." the princess said, smiling warmly, which made Pidge blush in embarrassment. "Listen I may not have known Shiro as long as the rest of you, but I do know he was the smartest pilot I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. The first time I met him, I had snuck away from my father to look at the simulator. He caught me tampering with it, but he never once told anyone about it." he laughed at the memory. Shiro always had this older brother-like approach towards almost everyone he met. It was no wonder everyone admired him so greatly. "He asked me if I ever wanted to become a pilot. I told him I didn't think it was possible. You know what he said?"

Pidge shook her head.

"He told me, "If you get too worried about what could go wrong, you might miss a chance to do something great."

Pidge's eyes widened in surprise. "That's what my dad and brother always say. I guess Shiro learned something from them too."

"Shiro and my father always spoke fondly of Dr Holt."

"Yeah. He's always been my hero. He's the reason I got so into science and technology to begin with. Why I enrolled at the Garrison."

Allura smiled. "I know how you feel. Don't let your limitations stop you from doing amazing things. And you are one extraordinary young woman, Katie."

Pidge had gotten so used to people calling her by her nickname, that she sometimes forgot what it was like to be called by her real name. Still, when Allura did, it made her feel special in a way. The boys would often say her real name whenever it was a very personal, or special moment. It was their sweet way of saying they wanted her to always remember said moment. Like when she aced her first test at the Garrison, or fixed the simulator after Lance's recklessness during a test. Even the commander was impressed. Even on her birthday they would ditch her nickname and call her Katie almost the entire day. It always made her feel special, and it would seem Allura was already getting into the tradition as well, despite not knowing of it beforehand. Pidge was certain she said her name out of genuine compassion and sympathy, and she couldn't be more touched.

"Thanks, Allura. I'm not used to all this "girl talk" stuff. I've…never had a sister."

"Well, now you do."

Pidge was about to say her thanks, but instead all that came out of her lips was a soft gasp. The canoe reached the shoreline of an area of the forest, surrounded by curved trees, the rays of the planet's sun showering down from the leafs. At the center was an old stone temple, the plight of stairs was completely clean, but the rest of the temple was covered in curved trunks, vines and leafs.

Once the boat reached the shore, the sloth waved farewell to his new friends and the two approached the temple, passing two stone pegasus on opposite sides, both shrouded in green moss. The further they walked down, they witnessed markings on the ground suddenly glow in Pidge's presence, creating a trail which led to the stairs of the temple.

Pidge moved ahead, completely entranced by the beauty of the forest and the glow of the markings. It was as if an invisible force was calling to him. Allura smiled proudly as she allowed the young cadet move ahead, reaching the stairs, several parts glowed green and he stopped. Hesitation quickly sweeping up around her.

"Go." Allura said, smiling comfortingly, "Be great."

Hearing her say those words were enough for Pidge to run full speed up the stairs, being motivated both by her new sister's words and the growing pull he felt in her chest, which grew stronger with each step she took. After the stairs, Pidge climbed up the gigantic vines, grunting as she pulled himself upwards until she reached the top. She stopped for a comment to catch her breath, only to find that there was nothing up there. Nothing but vines.

A soft wind blew and Pidge could hear a faint growl coming from underneath her. A green glow illuminated the forest. Pidge could feel the energy, stronger than ever. With a wide grin, Pidge leaped into the vines, disappearing in the shadows. A green glow appeared.

"Whoo-hoo-hoo!"

Back down, Allyra leaned against a tall stone, waiting patiently, only to roughly stumble forward once the ground began to shake ferociously. She looked up to see the temple glowing, and the Green Lion emerged, rising up into the air with glowing yellow eyes.

Allura smiled with pride, the winds bellowing against her blue hair as leafs flew around her. Back at the Olkari village, Keith, Hunk, Lance, Coran and Ryder all heard the trees rustling and the ground shaking. From the trees emerged the green lion.

Pidge and Allura exited from the top of the lion's head, waving down at the boys. "Hey, guys!"

(~)

"Um, Ryner, where are we?" Keith asked. The older Olkari led the group to another area of the forest, filled with beautiful glowing tulip-like flowers, and a large tree with green neon lights reaching down from the ground up to its branches. Large orbs hung on the branches. Despite their size, which made it seem as if they would fall at any moment given their weight, did not.

"This is the armory." Ryner said.

A couple of young Olkari reached out their heads, placing them inside the tulip-like flowers. Theyr emitted a bright min-green glow and magical became a laser gun, entangled around their arm, with the same floral pattern, but also adorned with neon green colors. The others looked in amazement, while Pidge was practically drooling like a kid at a candy store.

Ryner pressed her hand against the side of a tree, and the same green lights emitted from her palm, outstretching all the way upwards to a tree branch, where a single fruit grew and expanded in size, with the same neon outlines. It fell to the ground with crushing force, having grown into a large ball before opening itself to reveal its transformation from a simple fruit into a high tech, nature inspired mech suit, complete with cockpit and single seat and controls.

"Cool…" Lance said, practically trembling at how amazing that was.

"Astonishing!" Coran said with a stroke of his brow.

"Uh, can I get one of those?" Keith asked, rather dumbfounded by the astonishing display of magic.

"Of course, you can each have one." Ryner raved her hand over a closed flower, which also had neon lights around its petals. At her command, the petals opened to reveal wooden headbands with a single blue-green diamond, and more of the lights wrapped around it. She handed one to each member.

"Now, the key to operating it is understanding that the nanocellulose responds to electrical impulses from the neural pathways connected through this."

"I'm sorry, do what now?" Lance asked. He managed to grasp only half of what she said.

Hunk licked the side of his crown. "Mm! Makes my tongue itchy."

"That's your interface?" Pidge asked, placing hers on her head. It felt almost like a tiara, minus all the jewels and sparkles. Unless one counted the neon lights around it.

"Of course." Ryner explained, "All commands need to come as a binary coded messages."

Pidge approached a tree. "So, like this?" she pressed her hand to the trunk and closed her eyes, picturing the fruit transforming into a mech suit just like before. The diamond shaped symbol on her headband glowed and the neon lights extended from her fingertips, all the way up to another fruit. The same process as before happened once again, without a single change and Pidge smiled victoriously at seeing her very own wooden mech suit. The green lion nuzzled her nose against Pidge's back, congratulating her.

"Yes! Excellent!" Ryner smiled proudly once she had entered her mech suit. The same wooden headband now placed on her head.

"I think mine is just a tree." Coran said, trying to mimic what Pidge and Ryner did, while wearing his headband. Unfortunately, nothing happened. Lance, Keith Hunk attempted the same thing, but were unsuccessful

"You must have a deep connection with nature, Pidge."

"Not really. My allergies and pale skin don't mix with outdoor living."

"Pidge is our resident tech expert." Allura said, folding her arms, saying the words with great pride.

"Well, that explains it." Ryner said, "Like the Olkari, you understand that, at the deepest level, trees, metal, you, me, we're all made up of the same cosmic dust. All arranged by the laws of mathematics."

"Does this mean I should start gardening?" Pidge asked, unenthusiastically.

"It means you're going to need to to give your friends a ride."

Allura and Keith rode with Ryner, while Hunk and Lance rode with Pidge. Wearing their headbands, the two had total control over the mech suits. The wheels underneath the suits crushed varies stones and twigs in their wake.

"This way! To the edge of the forest, to save out king!"

As they rode off, Coran stood dejectedly, crossing his arms. Sadly, he couldn't fit in the other suit, since it only had room a driver and a passenger.

"Alright then, I'll just be here!…babysitting." he said, looking down at Balto who was licking himself.

(~)

Large, metallic blocked linked together like pieces of a puzzle. The sound of gears and metal clanging was like music to the commander's ears. Or, at least he assumed it was like music since Galras don't particularly listen to music. The joyful found always ignited their naturally rage and biological desire to crush whatever infuriated them. Or, at least, that is what Zarkon claimed was in a Galra's natural instinct.

"Finally. The cube is ready for launch." said the commander, turning to his solider. "Load the top Olkari engineers onto our ship and prepare for departure. After the cube destroys Olkarion, Zarkon shall welcome us back to the main fleet."

(~)

The mech suits positioned themselves at the very edge of the forest. From inside, Ryner scanned the area, using the computer within the suit to pinpoint where the Galra soldiers were positioned. The screen before them, much like inside the lions, served as a window for them to see the outside. Not too far ahead, the tallest tower for which Ryner scanned. A screen appeared next to the image, revealing the octagon shaped opening.

"Their headquarters are impenetrable from the ground, but there is one way in. A small opening in the roof. It goes all the way down to an open courtyard."

"That's quite a drop." Keith said, studying the height of the building.

"But there you will have total access to the building. The hard part will be getting into the roof undetected."

"That won't be a problem." Pidge said, "My new lion actually has a cloaking feature."

"How do you know that?" Lance asked, "You just got it."

"She may have told me a few secrets already."

"She?" Hunk asked in disbelief, "Seriously, what is it with you guys already knowing your lion's genders? How do robot lions even have genders?" Hunk quickly turned his attention to the window, leaning forward and nearly blocking Pidge's view. "Hey, what's that? Is that part of the building?"

Ryner and Pidge both zoomed in to see a large black metal cube, glowing with neon purple lights, undoubtedly from the Galra.

Ryner gasped "By the Nalea! It can't be!"

"Hey, that looks like the cube Coran gave me!" Pidge pulled out said cube from her pocket to show to Ryner through the video chat screen.

"I haven't seen one of those in many decafeebs. We used to play with them as children. But this? Only King Lubos could design one _that_ size!"

"Why would he do that?" Allura asked.

Ryner narrowed her eyes at the contraption. "They must have forced him to reveal his designs and reconstruct it as a weapon. From the looks of it, I say it's almost finished."

Keith also narrowed his eyes in determination. "Then we don't have enough time. Everyone back to the village."

"Do you have a plan?" Allura asked.

"I have a few ideas. Let's hope they work."

(~)

Back in the village, everyone gathered around Keith, with their respected lions beside them. They appeared to be as tentative as their riders.

"Okay, so first thing's first. Our target is the top of that tower. Pidge, you said your lion has cloaking capabilities, right?"

"Yeah."

"Good. You're the drop ship. You'll take Allura, Hunk, Lance and me to the roof, then drop back to a safe position."

"After the drop, we'll use a censor from the ship to scan the building for any Olkari biorhythms." Allura said.

"Sweet! I get to use my new Bayard! It came with the lion!" Lance pulled out a similar object Allura had found in her lion, and in a blue flash it turned into a rifle. He played with it by aiming at nothing in particular, but fantasized how amazing it would be to use it. "Pidge, did you get one too?"

She pulled out the bayard that came with her own lion, which immediately transformed into an arrow-shaped blade, glowing a bright forest green. She tested it out by slicing and dicing an invisible threat. It was smaller in comparison, but still nimble and easy to master.

"Aw, you got a cute little bayard." Lance said, speaking in a slight cooing tone. Pidge strike Lance with her blade, which send out an electric shock through hiss body. He screamed in pain before passing out on the floor.

Pidge smiled smugly, "Yeah. It is pretty cute."

Keith helped Lance back to his feed and with their bayards reverting back to normal, he slowly lowered them both down. "Okay, why don't we just put those away for now until we can actually use em."

(~)

Pidge sat on the seat of her lion, hearing her soft purring. They had only just met, but Pidge was already feeling an attachment towards the pretty lion. She was a bit shorter in comparison to Lance's or Allura's, but that only enhanced her adorableness, and made her more relatable to Pidge. Anotehr unique quality she had was a shield-like armor on her back, with a strange symbol she had never seen before.

The lion rose up into the sky and PIdge activated its stealth capabilities. She found it a bit odd that this lion had an ability like this, until she remembered that numerous forest animals used their surroundings to blend in and either hide from predators or to deceive their pray. Either way, it was pretty cool. The lion hovered above the roof and opened it mouth, allowing for Keith, Allura, Hunk and Lance to jump down into the opening. Coran had prepared their space suits and Allura and Lance kept their bayards close at hand while Hunk and Keith were given laser guns. The suits, this time, had a pair of jet packs allowing them a safe descend.

Once inside, Allura activated the censor to scan the area. From her lion, Pidge saw multiple red circles and warning symbols, indicating where the Galra soldiers were. She sent the others the information, which they read via the lenses of their helmets. This allowed them to know in which direction to go, and when to avoid incoming Galra soldiers. Although, the sound of metal boots clanging the floor helped greatly as well.

The group crunched down behind a wall, awaiting for the cost to clear up before proceeding. They stopped in front of a closer door, where they could hear the sound of crying coming from the other side.

"How are we going to open it?" Lance asked, noticing that they would need a hand print in order to enter. "It's a Galra scanner. We're going to need Galra DNA to open it."

Keith approached the scanner and placed his hand on the surface. Because of his Galra blood, it allowed him full access to enter.

"Nice!" Lance patted Keith on the back in congratulations. As much as Keith hated his Galra side, at least this time it served them some good.

Once the doors slid open, the crying grew louder and they snuck their way in. The crying came from the Olkari king…who was sitting on a couch in a darkened room. The only source of light was the large television screen, which was showcasing some kind of soap opera. The king weeped while eating the food that was placed beside him and wiping his eyes with a hankie, yelling at the male lead to accept the love of the female lead.

Everyone else stared in confusion. The Olkari king didn't appear to be in any kind of danger. If anything, he kind of reminded them of the old uncle who sat on the couch, gorging on junk food while crying over his OTP breaking up on television. Standing beside him was another Olkari, hunched over in depression, his hand cuffed while wearing ragged clothing.

Keith approached the king. "Uh, King Lubos?"

The king wiped away his tears and turned to face the strange visitors. "Yes? Who are you? The gestures I requested?"

"Um, we're here to like, rescue you?" Lance said with uncertainty. He really didn't look like he needed rescuing. Nothing of this made any sense.

The king narrowed his eyes and pressed the surface of his arm chair. The lights switched on, the television became black and an alarm went off. The wall opened, revealing the Galra commander, Thace and two rows of Galra soldier.

"You could have just said "No thanks!" Hunk exclaimed.

Keith pointed his laser gun, ready to fight, while Lance aimed his rifle at the soldiers. Hunk nervously aimed his gun, while Allura could only stare at the king. Her eyes like daggers that could cut right through him. His smug grin only added more fuel to her already ignited flame.

"Looks like someone came to rescue you, Lubos." said the Galra commander.

Thace came in last, but once he did, his entire body felt as if it had been hit with a ray that rendered him paralyzed. His yellow eyes subtly softened, his mouth opened partly as he tried to suppress his gasp.

"You turned your back on your people to save your own skin?" Keith said to the king, his voice cold, his gun still aiming at the Galra.

"How could you?!" Allura shouted, tightening her grip on her bayard. As a future queen, seeing a leader sacrifice the freedom of his own subjects just so he could lazily sit around, eating junk and watching some body drama series was not only inexcusable, but downright vile and repulsive. He brought shame to his crown, and just looking at him made Allura want to sink her lion at him, even if just to throw him a million lightyears away from this planet.

"I'm doing this _for_ my people!" Lubos protested, "They wanted to fight the Galra, but they are too powerful! The Galra would destroy us!"

"So, you helped them enslave your people to build some super weapon?" Lance said, feeling just as repulsed by his actions as Allura.

"Don't make me the bad guy! _He_ forced me to do it!" Lubos pointed at the commander.

"Did he force-feed you, too?"

King Lubos simply stood there, unable to reply. Meanwhile, his servant looked away in disgust.

Allura took a step forward, her bayard magically turning into a sword at her will. "You should be ashamed of yourself! You're no king! You're nothing but a back-tabbing, gluttonous _coward!"_

The princess charged at him, and Lubos attempted to run for his life. His servant collided his body with his, knocking him backwards in the direction of the princess. She grabbed Lubos by the shoulder and held her sword just bellow his chin. The king whimpered in terror, his eyes wide as dinner plates.

 _"_ Alright, one more move and Lubos gets a sword to the neck!" Allura said menacingly without so much as filching.

"Whoa! A-Allura?" Keith stammered, his eyes wide in surprise.

"Princess has gone wild!" Lance said, his jaw having dropped the moment she made the threat while Hunk just stood there blinking in surprise.

"La-sai, what are you doing?" Lubos asked his servant, sweating in terror at the blade only inches away from his neck.

"You betrayed our people. I can't live this lie anymore."

Allura took a step back, taking the king with her. "I'm warning you. You wouldn't want me to hurt your brilliant engineer, would you?"

The Galra commander chuckled. "Be my guest. His work is done. The cube is complete"

"What?! B-But I thought we had a deal!" Lubos stammered in shock.

"What I would like to know is how you were able to get in. Only one with Galra blood could unlock the security system."

Upon hearing this, something within Keith snapped and, as if by some subconscious desire, he aimed his laser gun at the commander. The beam bounced right off of his mechanical palm and extended his hand like a grabbling hook, grabbing Keith's arm. He cried out in pain as the commander started dragging him towards him. He noticed something peculiar about this boy, something he couldn't quite place.

Keith managed to cement his footing and yank the arm right off with a strength he never knew he had. The mechanical hand retracted back to its owner, taking a large chunk of Keith's sleeve along with it.

Keith tried hiding his arm, but it was too late. While still in Allura's custody, King Lubos gasped at the revelation. Thace did not say a word. If it wasn't for the fact that he was visibly standing there, they would assumed he wasn't even precent.

The commander gasped. His eyes shifted to Thace, who averted his gaze. The commander then smiled maliciously. "Isn't this an unexpected surprise, don't you think Thace?" the shorter Galra did not say a word. He couldn't even look at the young glad before him.

Keith growled in anger and aimed his laser gun at the commander, who laughed. "Why would you shoot at your own kind, boy?"

" _I am not one of you!_ " Keith exclaimed in ferociously.

"Don't lie to yourself." the commander said with a sly smile. "You're just as bad as your father was."

Those words.

 _Those_.

Words.

It was as if an explosion went off in Keith's mind. His irises shrunk, his grip on the gun tightened and bared his flat teeth. A growl escaped from his mouth and his muscles tensed like a twisted tree trunk. He was ready to blast the Galra's head right off of his head, and enjoying every moment of it.

A second explosion went off, this time it was not from Keith's mind, but from the wall. A cloud of yellow and red blocked the Galra from the team.

"Ride is here!" Pidge's voice called out via intercom from the green lion, who appeared before the gapping hole in the wall. Keith's mind cleared and rather than lower his laser gun, he tossed it to the floor before following the rest of his friend onto the green lion's back, with King Lubos and La-sai with them. The soldiers shot their lasers at them, but they managed to make it out just in time.

As the lion flew off, they witnessed the large cube super weapon light up with a purple neon light around it and slowly began to rise.

"The cube is operational!" Allura exclaimed. "We have to get to the other lions!"

"On it!" Pidge replied and made her lion blast off at top speed.

Inside the head, Keith was panting, pressing his purple skinned arm against the side of the lion. Allura placed a hand on his shoulder. "Keith? Are you okay?"

He placed his free, trembling, hand over his chest. His entire body was vibrating, his breathing was raspy but he soon managed to stabilize himself. That moment, it reminded him of when Rolo first spoke horribly of his mother. His rage took over in a way that felt as if he had no choice in the matter. As if, he wouldn't be able to rest until he saw Rolo on the ground. When he did, he snapped and realized his mistake. When that Galra said Keith was just as bad as his father, he was just about ready to blow his head off. His conscious was saying that was not in his nature. Keith may he hot-headed, but he was no murderer, even if it was a Galra.

Allura removed his helmet for him, placing the back of her hand on his forehead. He was burning up. She didn't know why she did it, but she held his face with both her hands. His visions was unfocused and she called out his name to try and reach him.

"Keith, it's me. It's okay. It's over."

He blinked a few times and his breathing reverted back to normal. He still trembled a bit, but he was a bit more at ease than before. He took in a deep breath and closed his eyes, trying to shake away the words the Galra had said to him. He didn't even think went he wrapped his arms around Allura's waist, burying his face on her shoulder as she hugged him in return, rubbing his back to calm him.

Lance, Hunk and Pidge knew what was going through his mind. Keith often struggled to sustain his Galra side, and just now he felt as if it would come out and he would do something he was going to regret. They saw the same occurrence with Rolo, and it took Shiro to try and calm him down then.

Allura felt that his heart was beating rapidly. She didn't let go until it steadied. Back at headquarters, Thace stood near the large hole, looking on in the direction from which the lion had disappeared.

(~)

King Lubos was thrown to the ground on his knees before the Olkari of the forest. "What's going on?" Ryner asked, confused upon seeing their king being thrown to the ground like a prisoner.

"While your country starved, King Lubos was well taken care of by the Galra." Allura said, narrowing her eyes at the king in disappointment. He fists clenched to her side. "He willingly helped them build that cube. Willingly helped to enslave his own people!"

The Olkari gasped in horror, murmuring to one another. They could hardly move. To think, someone they looked up to for many years was the cause for most of their suffering. King Lubos could do nothing now hang his head in shame.

"I know you're devastated, but it's time to be strong and use your Olkari spirit to fight alongside the Paladins of Voltron and take back your planet!"

Ryner looked down at their former king. "Lubos, how could you?"

"I-I was only trying to-"

" _Enough!_ " Ryner snapped before turning back to her people, thrusting her hand into the air, igniting their determination. " _We must free our people!_ " the Olkari cheered in unison, thrusting their fists into the air, shooting as loudly as they possibly could.

"So, we're just gonna fight that weapon with only three lions?" Hunk asked, already finding the multiple things that could go wrong with this plan.

"It's our only option." Keith replied. "I know it doesn't seam like much, but we've all seen what only one lion is capable of. With three of us together, I'm sure we can find a way to destroy the weapon."

"I'm with you, Keith." Allura said with fierce determination. "Me and the Red lion." the lion roared in agreement.

"Count me in, _hermano!_ " said Lance. "Blue and I have got your back!" his lion roared in agreement as well.

Pidge turned to her lion, "You ready for this, girl?" the lion nuzzled her back before roaring.

The lion's confident roaring in unison, his friends rallying behind him, even the timid Hunk, as well as the Olkari, gave Keith a sense of hope. His spirits soared with vivid determination and ambition.

"Alright. Let's fly!"

(~)

The three lions zoomed right out of the forest, roaring like the mighty beasts that they were. The large cube hovered over the ground, in between two mountain ranges. From inside, Keith rode with Allura inside the reed lion, while Hunk rode with Lance. Coran piloted the ship in an attempt to use the lasers at it. The cube shot a purple beam directly at the lions. They quickly scattered, narrowly missing the strike.

Allura had her lion charge at the cube. "Let's see just how powerful this thing really is." she commanded her lion to shoot one of her powerful beam at the cube, but it didn't even make a dent. The cube suddenly started to emit a blue glow, similar to Allura's beam and fired it in her direction.

"Lions, get behind the ship!" Coran called out from the intercom. The lions did as he asked, and he activated the particle barrier to shield them from the blast.

"Did it just absorb your laser?!" Pidge asked in shock.

"We need to increase fire power!" Keith exclaimed. "Everyone together!"

"I'm not sure this is a good ide-"

"Let's do it!"

Pidge was immediately cut off by Coran. The ship, and the lions all unleashed a simultaneous blast. The lions from their mouths, and the ship from its lasers. They all stroked the cube at once, the increased strength was pushing the cube back.

"Yeah, I think it's working!" Hunk called out.

Once the beams stopped, the cube still remained in tact. Its sides glowed purple before unleashing multiple blasts, identical to those of the lions and the ship. The lions all quickly got behind the ship again, being protected by the particle barrier. Unfortunately, the beam was far too powerful that the barrier broke. Thankfully, Coran and the others flew out in the nick of time before anymore damage could be done.

Allura's image appeared on the screen of the ship. "Coran, are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Princess."

"It's giving back whatever we fire into it!" Allura exclaimed, "Just like your echo cube!"

"That's what I've been trying to tell you guys!" Pidge yelled, "It's learning! Making its own versions of our attacks to sue against us!"

The lions and the ship flew away from the cube, which chased after them over the trees. "So how do we beat it?" Hunk asked.

Unfortunately, things only got worse, when the cube began scanning the individual attackers. It split apart into four individual floating cubes, aiming attacks at the lions and Coran's ship.

Allura narrowly dodged one attack, but was completely blinded by another coming from his right.

"Allura, look out!" Keith called out, but it was too late. Her lion had been hit and almost fell to the ground, until Pidge came in and assisted the red lion, allowing it to regain balance in the sky.

"Thank you, Pidge!"

"Anytime!"

(~)

Back at headquarters, the Galra commander watched as the cubes continued sending attacks to the lions and single military ship.

"Excellent. The lions don't stand a chance against my weapon. Soon, I will have both the cube and three of the Voltron lions to present to Zarkon." he darted his eyes to the shorter Galra beside him. "As for you. I'm more than certain Zarkon will be more than happy to hear of this." he said with a sadistic smile.

Thace did not say anything in reply.

(~)

"Let's see if I can freeze these guys!" Lance commanded his lion to shoot his ice beam at one of the cubes. It froze the corner for like a split second before repeating the same attack at Lance. The beam froze the lion's head solid. From the cockpit, Lance and Hunk shivered, seeing their breath.

"Cold! So cold! So cold!"

The red lion opened its mouth, unleashing a blast of hot blast at the lion, which melted the ice. Lance sighed in relief. "Thanks, Allura."

"No problem."

"Princess, I'm not sure how much longer we can keep this up!" Coran said while maneuvering the incoming lasers.

"There doesn't seem to be any way to stop them!" Allura replied, "But we can't let this weapon get into Zarkon's hands!"

Pidge avoided yet another attack, unfortunately, she was not fortunate enough to avoid the double attack that came from two cubes behind her. The attacks sent electrical currents through her lion's body, to which even Pidge felt. She screamed in pain as her lion fell down from the sky.

"Pidge!" Keith and Allura called out her name simultaneously and dove down after her, but were blocked by another cube.

From down bellow, Ryner and the other Olkari saw Pidge fall from the sky. "The green lion's in trouble!"

The lion rammed through various trees, crashing hard on the ground, wiping out almost everything in her wake. The lion was barely responding, and electrical currents still coursed through its body. From inside, Pidge, rubbed her head, groaning in pain. A red screen appeared beside her, alerting her that the lion was out of commission. She tried desperately to move the controls, press any button, do anything that could awaken her lion.

"No, no, come girl, get up! Get up!" she pleaded. Her heart accelerated the more she tried to get the lion to respond. She never awoke. Pidge had only just now received her lion and in the same day she had lost her. She hung her head in shame. "No!…no…"

"Pidge? Can you hear me?" a voice spoke. It was clear and loud, almost as if she were inside the cockpit with her.

"Ryner? Wait, _how_ am I hearing you?"

"That's not important right now." Ryner replied. From the outside, she had closed her eyes and placed her hand onto the lion. She, along with the rest of her Olkari brothers and sisters had vines wrapped up around the lion's body. She laid on the ground as if she were sleeping.

"We need to get your lion up and running. I think we can heal your lion's body, but you must bond with its spirit if it is to fly again."

"But, I thought we bond already."

"Your bond must be stronger." Ryner replied. Upon her and the Olkari's command, the vines started to glow, emitting brightly colored particles onto the lion's surface. "Remember what I said. You, the lion, the Olkari, we are all made of the same essence."

Pidge took in a deep breath, held the controls as tightly as she could and spoke to her lion. She could feel the warmth of the Olkari's spirits from inside.

"Come on, girl. I need you." she whispered. As she concentrated, she thought back about what Ryner said. About how they were all one in the same. Somehow, Pidge's mind went back to her family. Her mother, her father, her older brother. She remembered all the times they laughed, and joked and how they were always there for one another. She remembered her friends at the Garrison. She remembered Lance's lame jokes, but she still laughed anyway because she knew they his way of making her feel better. She remembered Hunk's home cooked meals, which she always brought along to share with everyone. She remembered all the times Keith encouraged her to keep on trying to fix an experiment even after it went wrong. He even refused to leave her be until she got back up and tried again. He was always rather pushy that way. Her brother used to do the exact same thing.

Her mind went back to only hours ago, when they all sang around the campfire together, welcoming Coran and Allura into their group. She remembered the boat ride she had with Allura in search for the green lion. And the words her father shared with Shiro, who in turned shared them with Allura, who she then shared back with her.

 _"If you get too worried about what could go wrong, you might miss a chance to do something great."_

Even from outside, Pidge could hear her friends calling out to her, and more than anything she wanted to be there, helping them. It was then, she realized something regarding what Ryner said. She always felt connected to her family because, well, they were family. United by genetics. But, it wasn't just the genetics that made Pidge feel attached to her family. It was their love. Anyone can share DNA, but it takes a lot of work to love someone.

Pidge felt connected to her friends, even to her new ones. She felt a new connection to Allura. For the first time, she felt as if she had a sister. The Olkari were all together, and when they shared their strength she knew they could face any threat. It wasn't about the fancy tech toys or even how they worked, it was what they used them for. The Galra use technology for evil, but the Olkari use theirs for good, out of simple compassion and caring for another before their own.

It was then that it all clicked for Pidge. The lions sensed the selflessness of the paladins. They sensed their compassionate hearts and their will to sacrifice their own lives for their loved ones. They may all have been made of the same cosmic dust as Ryner said, but that wasn't enough for her to fully connect with her lion. Pidge now knew exactly what it took.

She didn't just have to know the lion was hers…she had to wholeheartedly accept the lion as her friend. Her partner. Her family. The same way she accepted Keith, Lance, Hunk, Allura, Coran and the Olkari as her comrades and friends. They really were all the same, however, it wasn't just mathematic that could connected them on a spiritual level.

As cliche as it may sound…it was love.

Pidge felt as if a second, no, multiple hearts were beating as one. She could hear her lion purring happily, as if sweetly saying to Pidge she was awake. Pidge opened her eyes, and at the exact same time, the green lion rose, its eyes glowing brightly like the sun. The vines around it broke into green particles as it let out a mighty roar.

Pidge beamed with pride. "Come on, girl. Let's go be great together!"

(~)

The lions, and Coran's ship had been forced to the ground. The ship was still functional, but had taken a lot of damage. The lions could barely stand, even Lance and Allura felt as if they were the ones getting beaten to a pulp instead of their lions. The four cubes hovered over them, ready to finish them off all at once.

"Guys, hang on!"

"Pidge!" everyone called out happily. They thought she had been gone for good. Thankfully, she and her lion were back and ready to play.

"Wow, Pidge, what's going on, you're booking!" Hunk said in astonishment to see the green lion flying faster than it did before.

"I know! I feel more connected with my lion than ever! I know what I have to do!" Pidge had her lion fly higher above the cubes, and from her back the shilled transformed into some form of ray gun. At her command, a green colored beam shot directly at one of the cubes. The outline glowed an unusual green, and when it attempted to reflect the attack, instead a large root began growing from its side, crushing it to pieces and weighing down.

Lance's jaw dropped. "Whoa! How did you do that?!"

Pidge was on an adrenaline rush as she maneuvered every incoming attack with incredible ease, shooting at another cube, which resulted in also getting enwrapped by vines, so powerful the cubes fell right out the sky.

"Ha! That's right, get some of this!"

The green lion skid across the surface of one cube and shot her laser at the opposing one before shooting at the final cube. Before long, the now powerless weapon floated harmlessly to the ground, completely deactivated for good. The two lions flew up towards their sister.

"Katie, that was incredible!" Keith said, beaming with pride.

Hunk laughed in astonishment. "Vines! Well, that is not the way I thought a giant cube would go down."

(~)

" _NO!_ " The commander slammed his fists onto the control panel in frustration. To make matters worse, the Olkari had charged into the city, attacking all of the Galra soldiers with their weapons, and freeing their friends and families.

"Commander, we have to evacuate." said Thace. "The cube is down and the Olkari have taken back the city. It's over."

The commander hung his head. He paused for a moment before speaking once again. He clenched his fists and turned towards Thace. "I may have lost my super weapon, but I will not be the only one being punished. I'm sure Zarkon would be very pleased to hear of what I have uncovered today.'

"I'm sure he would be….a shame you will not live long enough to tell him."

The commander rose a brow. "What are you saying you-AH!" the commander never got to finish his words when a blade, an extremely powerful, long purple colored blade pierced right through his chest. The commander gave a raspy cough before falling flat on the floor with a clang of his armor. The blade was sharp enough to pierce even through metal. It reverted back into a normal looking knife before Thace placed it back around his waist. He turned to the solider behind him.

"From now on, you take orders from me. Am I clear?"

The solider saluted in responce. It wasn't uncommon for a Galra of any rank to kill off their competition, or for any other reason. Besides, Thace was still one of Zarkon's top elite. Who was he to question him.

From down bellow, the Olkari cheered once the Galra ship rose up into the sky, leaving their planet for good. Thace looked out the window, catching a short, but sure glimpse of the young Olkari child returning to his mother.

(~)

Once the Galra ship had left, the Olkari were free to return to the city. They were kind enough to help with the repairs of the ship, much to Coran's delight. The paladins exited the lions, all panting in exhaustion from the battle.

"Well, that was quite the workout." Lance said as he stretched out his arms.

Pidge was the last to leave her lion. After having formed a stronger bond, she had a hard time even getting out of the chair. Once he exited, she removed the helmet she wore, only to be met by multiple gasps.

"What? What is it?"

"P-Pidge…your hair!"

She rose a brow in confusion at Keith's words and traced her fingers through her hair. her eyes widened to realize that it was no longer short…but longer! It past her shoulders by a few inches and it was soft and lush, looking as if she had just been to the salon.

"Whoa! How did that happen?!"

Ryner walked on over to Pidge, ruffling her hair. "It appears this tree has grown new leafs." she said.

Pidge adjusted her glasses and only smiled. Maybe it was best not to question this tiny little miracle. Maybe, it was just part of the Olkari magic in a way. Whatever it was, according to the green lion's happy purrs, it was a good look for Katie.

"I want to thank you all." Ryner said to the rest of the team. "You helped us get our home back. And for that, we will never be able to repay you."

"Well, we did save three planets and like tow days." said Lance, folding his arms, while smiling cockily. "Maybe we should celebrate with a party?"

" _Lance!_ " Allura, Keith, Hunk and Pidge all called him in annoyance.

"Kidding! I'm kidding!"

Ryner once again turned to Pidge. "And you. The spirit of the Olkari resides in you. The bond between you and your lion has grown stronger than ever."

"Without you, I never would have been able to unlock my lion's power. I'm the one who should be thanking you." Pidge did a very bold move and hugged Ryner. The elderly Olkari happily returned the gesture. "Good luck. Now that you're the new leader, you're going to have your hands full."

Coran then slid on over to Ryner. "You know, if you ever find yourself new Altea's orbit, look me up. I have some design ideas I'd like to share with a brilliant engineer such as yourself." he said, while stroking his mustache.

Lance smiled broadly, "Coran, you playa!"

Keith groaned and turned to Allura. "So, you have one too, huh?"

"Unfortunately." the princes replied, folding her arms and nodding her head.

"I also want to thank you personally, Keith." Ryner said.

"Me? Why?"

"You showed me that there is still hope for the universe. And, maybe, even for the Galra. I am thankful the heart chose you to lead this team."

Keith's eyes darted back and forth, unable to meet the Olkari's gaze. He then felt himself suddenly loose balance when the young Olkari child hugged his leg. "Thank you, Mr. Lion Hero Man!" he said in the most heart melting voice anyone could think of. "When I grow up, I want to be just like you!"

Keith blushed at the compliment, unsure about what to say. He darted his eyes to Allura, but she just nodded her head, telling him to go with it. Keith squatted down and patted the young boy's head and said the first thing that came to his mind.

"You know, my big brother always used to tell me, you can be anything if you set your mind to it. So, I'd say you're well on your way." he became even more flustered when the kid wrapped his arms around his neck and hugged him.

Even if Keith was still having doubts about himself, no reason why he couldn't give home to this child. He would be more of a hero than Keith himself.

(~)

Sendak felt as if his insides had been placed inside out, then back inside again. Without his mechanical arm, he could not defend himself against the multitude of druids who blasted him left and right with their purple black magic.

"Enough." Haggar's slithery voice pierced through his ears, which had been bruised and nearly cut off. The witch smiled under her hood. "Perfect. Place him into the machine."

The druids did as Haggar ordered and positioned Sendak into a container, connected to various tubes, all emitting a terrifying purple glow.

"Please! I can make it up to Zarkon! I'll do anything! Please, spare me!"

"Spare you?" Haggar repeated with disgust. "This is all the proof I need to know that this shall be the perfect punishment for you. But don't fret. You will still be of use to us."

With a wave of her hand, the quintessence from the tubes came oozing out, injecting into Sendak's bloodstream. He felt his body increase in side, his fluids pouring in all at once, feeling his chest would burst. His body began to shift and change, his consciousness disappearing, his mind foggy, his mentality melting away, being replaced with nothing but a savage rage unlike anything he had ever felt before. His pain disappeared as hid body took on a new shape.

All the while Haggar smiled wickedly.

(~)

Zarkon sighed in satisfaction after receiving yet another dose of the quintessence from his loyal pet. The creature gave a sickly growl to which Zarkon ignored. Haggar approached him from behind.

"The process is complete. And, I have finally been able to detect the heart's location. They have already found the green and blue lions. All that's left are the yellow and black. The Balmara shall be their next destination."

"Perfect. Good news for us, and good news for Sendak as well." Zarkon reached out his hand, touching the large purple nose of his dear beloved pet. "Soon, I will have the heart. And Voltron, will finally be mine."

(~)

 **This took me all day. From start to finish. I had it in draft form, and completed it today. From twelve to eleven at night. With only three breaks. Now, if you will excuse me, I need to go and work on the draft for the next episode. Good night!**

 **God bless, *kiss kiss***


	12. Chapter 12

(~)

After bidding farewell to the Olkari, the ship was once again in orbit. Pidge continued fiddling with her now longer hair, how styled into a ponytail styled partly to the right side of her head. She was still baffled by the transformation. Allura lightly patted her on the back.

"Relax, you look great." said the princess, making Pidge blush. It wasn't everyday she received a compliment for her appearance. She always considered such thing superficial. But, whenever one of her guy friends ever said it, it was more sentimental.

"Guess it's gonna take some getting used to again. I haven't had it long in three years."

"We're very proud of you, Pidge." Keith said, smiling with pride. One of Allura's mice jumped onto Pidge's shoulder and she rubbed his furry head.

"You know, it's weird. I've always been a tech junkie. That's how I connected with the world. But, after seeing what the Olkari can do, I feel more connected, not just with my lion…but, with all of you. I guess, once we realize we're all made of the same cosmic dust like Ryner said, there really is nothing we can't do."

"Wow Pidge, that was….really sappy." Lance said, already dampening the mood.

Hunk, on the other hand, shed a tear. "I think it's beautiful! Okay, that settles it. Everyone, bring it on! Group hug all around!" Hunk spread his arms open and wrapped Keith, Lance, Allura and Pidge all in a great big bear hug. They were a bit caught off guard that they couldn't even hug him back. Their arms and hands were pressed to their side, while Hunk just soaked in all the love he felt for them all. He even managed to drag Coran into it, mainly his head and shoulders. Thankfully, he could still pilot the ship with his hands.

"I just want you all to know, that I realized when we were all fighting the Galra, and the Baaku and the giant cube of death, we're family, man! You know, like we're all totally connected. No secrets, no barriers, no nothing! Brothers and sisters, all the way! I love you guys!"

"This trip's messed with your head a little bit?" Keith asked jokingly.

"Maybe, I don't know. It's been a weird week." Hunk slowly released everyone from his embrace, but they still took his words to heart. He was right, they were a family. A very strange, diverse family brought together by some bizarre circumstances weaved by the hands of Fate itself.

"So, where to next?" Keith asked Allura, offering her the dagger so she could see the coordinates.

"The yellow lion is next on our list. It appears to be located on a Balmara planet."

"A Balmara?" Coran asked, "You sure? Balmara's aren't technically planets, they're ancient animals. Petrified but still alive."

"Yeah, we know Coran. We studied this in, like, third grade." Lance said. "Their crystals were used to power our ships and particle barriers back home. You know, before the Galra nearly killed them all."

"Well, there are still a few remaining." Allura replied. "Sadly, this poor Balmara is one of the few that remain."

"Well, if the heart says to go, no reason why we should question it now." Keith said.

Coran shrugged, "Alright then. Balmara, here we come!"

Using the heart, Allura created another wormhole and off they went once more. They arrived in another part of the solar system, already spotting the Balmara before them. As said before, the creature indeed resembled a planet like any other, with swarms of clouds in various shades of yellows and greens mixed together with stones rising up from the Balmara's surface. As they entered the atmosphere, yellowish clouds surrounded them, Coran sighed as happy childhood memories poured into his mind.

"You know, I used to accompany my grandfather to visit these majestic creatures back when he was a a pilot. I'll never forget the first time I saw the sparkling surface of a Balmara. You kids are in for quite a treat."

The clouds parted as they descended, the view becoming more and more focused. Coran had expected to see a vast land filled with sparkling crystals rising up from the surface of the creature. Unfortunately, what they witnessed was anything but beautiful.

Just when Keith thought he had seen enough of the silky, neon purple glow of the Galra, there it was again. The lights illuminated through the clouds, and shinny black surface of various Galra machines around large craters that reached deep beneath the Balmara's surface. Everyone inside the ship gasped at the horrifying sight.

Hunk was the first to speak. "Oh, no…"

"Looks like the Galra got to this Balmara too." Keith said, his tone was low and eerie, almost as if he didn't know which emotion to showcase. Anger, sadness, horror, or all at once. "They've turned it into a mining colony."

"They're completely destroying it!" Coran exclaimed, his heart aching at the sight. "They have no regard for the poor creature!"

"What if they already found the Yellow Lion?" Pidge asked with evident worry. Before anyone could answer their question, a shadow loomed over them. An alarm went off on the ship's dashboard, showcasing a red Galra emblem just above them.

"I think we've got bigger problems!" Lance said, "We've been spotted!"

The Galra ship hovered over them, twice the side of their own ship. A Galra spoke through the intercom. "Unidentified craft, state your ship ID, entry code and landing destination."

"Oh, no! What do we do?!" Hunk asked frantically.

"Just stay calm." Coran instructed, pressing a button beside him. His voice was heard from the outside of the ship, speaking to the Galra one. "We don't really need to land." he said calmly. "Uh, we're just looking around if that's okay."

"Unidentified craft, land immediately and prepare to be boarded." the Galra from inside his ship repeated with force.

Coran kept his calm and replied, "Okay, thank you. See you down bellow." with a pull of a lever, Coran had the ship flown backwards, away from the Galra ship before steadying it and flew directly towards one of the large gapping holes on the surface of the Balmara, narrowly escaping various lasers as a result. Since the Galra ship was bigger than theirs, it would take it a while until it caught up to them by turning around.

"Hang on to your hats!" Coran called out before nose diving into the large hole at rapid speed. The interior of the ship trembled and shook, while everyone healed on another tightly. Allura gripped Pidge's shoulders and she in turn held onto Coran's sleeves. Lance gripped Keith's jacket, as well as Hunk's, who was hugging Lance as if his life depended on it. Keith had one hand on Lance's shoulder, trying to steady both him and Hunk, while his other arm was wrapped protectively around Allura's waist. While everyone else were straining to stay steady, Hunk was screaming at the top of his lungs. The ship continued to fly down deep into the hole, seeing multiple Galra tech, being served to dig up the Balmara's insides.

After a while, the ship started to slow down, still going at a fast paste, but not as much as before. Coran switched on the headlights and everyone slowly let go of one another, while narrowing their eyes at a still screaming Hunk.

"AAAAAHHHHHH! AH, AH, AH, WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE! AAHHHHHHHH!….How deep is this thing?!"

The hole grew darker and darker as they went, and the entrance became more narrow, with more pipes outstretching left and right. Coran tried to avoid hitting one, but the space was far too small for him to maneuver. The side of the ship collided with a pipe, sending it spiraling downwards until it hit the ground. Everyone inside screamed and held on tight until they crashed against a stone wall, near a small opening. Everyone groaned, rubbing their heads. The crash had caused them all to fall to the ground. Pidge was lucky enough to have held onto the chair throughout most of it. Lance and Hunk fell to the floor, with Hunk over Lance's back.

"Hunk, get off! You're crushing my spine!"

"Sorry!"

Keith fell on his back, and Allura had fallen on top of him. Her long silver hair spread all across her back like a fluffy blanket. Using her arms to push herself upwards, she noticed the position she and Keith were in. Her face hovered right above his, their upper torsos nearly pressed together. The princess blushed and quickly stood upwards, taking Keith by the hand, helping him up.

"Sorry about that!" she apologized, blushing like mad as Keith got back to his feet. He was blushing just as much, scratching the back of his neck, chuckling nervously, while Allura tucked her hair behind her pointed ear. Balto's barking caused the awkwardness to evaporate. The pup's paws were pressed against the side of the ship's window and everyone turned their attention to the cave. From within, they saw four glowing orbs, gazing at them ominously.

"Uh, Coran, what lives in the bottom of these mines?" Hunk asked, hiding behind Lance.

The team exited the ship, with their respected weapons in hand. Lance with his riffle, Allura with her sword, Pidge with her bayard, and Keith and Hunk with their laser guns. They gripped their weapons tightly in reaction to the footsteps approaching them from inside the cave. The mice pounded their tiny fists while ridding on Allura's shoulders, and Balto was snapping his jaws.

Hunk nervously aimed his weapon at the incoming, possible, threat. "Alright, don't come any closer! I don't know how to use this very well!"

"Don't tell them that!" Lance exclaimed, aiming his riffle at the targets.

Two figures walked out of the cave, both with golden eyes with no pupils. They were reptilian in appearance, large and strong-looking, with ragged clothing, sharp facial features, claws and tails. One was taller, exposing his broad chest, indicating he was a male, with what appeared to be small tusks sticking out form the lower sides of his cheeks, while the other had what appeared to be hooped earrings around the brown part of their head, which they assumed were their ears. Unlike the male one, this one wore full body cloths, and appeared more timid in comparison.

Upon seeing them, Allura reverted her sword back into a bayard and stepped in between her friends and the creatures. "Wait! Don't hurt them!"

Hunk squinted his eyes to get a better look of the creatures, who were partly hidden due to the shadow of the cave. "Wait a second, you guys aren't Galra."

"Nor are you." said the timid one in an evident female voice.

Balto continued to snarl, only to Keith to calm him down by petting his head. "It's alright, boy. Relax."

The two reptilians humanoids gasped upon hearing what sounded like a siren from above. A floating object with red lights, scanning the area.

"A patrol!" exclaimed the male reptilian. He tapped his female companion on the shoulder, ready to return to the caves. "Shay, we must take leave from these ones now!"

"Wait, please! We need your help!" Coran called out, pleading to the aliens. "If the Galra find us they're kill us!"

"Or torture us!" Hunk added.

"And take our lions!" Lance said, slowly lowering his rifle.

"Not our problem! Galra see us with you, they will kill both you and us!" said the male reptilian before taking the female by the arm. "Shay, let's go!"

"No!" the female protested, "These many years only Galra have been seen here! I will not turn my back on the skylinngs!"

The male muttered what the others assumed was meant to be some form of curse word, before her and the female rushed towards their ship. "Grab a side!" he said. The two pushed the massive ship into the cave, which was large enough for it to get through. Unfortunately, they were not fast enough. Allura rushed to their aid, pushing the ship forward as well. It managed to help accelerated the process and they were able to get the ship into the cave before being seen.

"Thank you." the female reptilian said to the princess. "You are quite strong for a petite one."

"Well, we Alteans do have some form of enhanced physical strength. Though, mine can not compete with yours. But, really, _we_ are the ones who should be thanking you. My name is Allura."

"I'm Keith."

"Lance."

"The name's Pidge."

"I'm Hunk."

"I'm Coran, please to meet you."

"My name is Shay. And this one, my brother Rax." she introduced her brother to the team, but the Balmaran only crossed his arms, pouting. Unlike his sweet little sister, Rax was clearly not very found of visitors. "How did you fall to us?" Shay asked curiously.

"We came looking for something." Keith said, showcasing his dagger to Shay and Rax, revealing the heart, emitting a faint glow, illuminating the cave. Shay stared at it in wonder, while Rax eyed it suspiciously. "This is the Heart of Voltron. It's been leading us towards the Voltron lions, and we believe the Yellow Lion is hidden somewhere here in the Balmara."

"Have you guys seen it?" Hunk asked.

"No!" Rax intervened. His sister narrowed her eyes at him. "We do not know of this Yellow Lion from which you speak of."

"Maybe not." Keith said, "But, you might just be the kind of people who can point us in the right direction."

(~)

Shay kindly led her new companions to her cave home. She happily introduced her to her dearly beloved family. Her mother, father, and grandmother. Their home was a small cave, with a fire serving as their only source of light. Small caves with curtains served as rooms, and a small area with pots and kennels served as a kitchen. The group sat on rocks around the fire, the grandmother handing them bowls filled with a delicious smelling substance. Judging from the steam, it was freshly made. While everyone else in a circle, Rax kept his distance, sipping his meal away from everyone else. Even Keith thought he was a sour puss, and that was coming from the same guy who was often jokingly called the "emo guy" by his friends.

Hunk licked his lips after slurping the liquid from his bowl. "Thanks for the delicious soup. Are these potatoes in here?"

"Grandma's special dish, for special visitors." Shay said.

"Well, my compliments to the chef!" Lance said, smiling warmly at the grandmother, which made her blush in gratitude.

"Aww, aren't you sweet! Only the best for new friends. Cave rout for the skin. Cave bugs for the soul."

At the mention of the word "bugs" everyone immediately froze. Those who had taken a mouthful, now held the liquid in their cheeks. Of course, those who were unfortunate enough to already have their mouths full had to swallow right then and there. While it still tasted good, the reality of what was in it made it harder for them to enjoy it. Balto, on the other hand, devoured the food with no issue. Even the mice enjoyed it. Well, almost all of them. Three of them nearly passed out while the fattest one ate the entire bowl, making his belly comedically bigger than before.

"Oh, uh, thank you for the bugs." Coran said politely. The grandmother took this as a sign he desired more and happily poured it into his bowl, much to his dismay, which he tried to hide. "O-Okay, that's too many."

"So how many of you are down here?" Hunk asked.

"There are thousands of us here on Balmara." said Shay's father. "We work and live in these mines."

"We harvest crystals for Zarkon." Shay said, her voice dropping subtly at the mention of his name.

For the first time throughout the entire journey, Hunk narrowed his eyes. "Zarkon. You know, I've been hearing that name almost my entire life, but only now is it starting to peeve me off. After everything we've seen the Galra do, enslaving a living creature and the people living in it to harvest crystals?"

"That's just as bad as when they enslaved the Olkari to build that super weapon of theirs." Pidge said, sharing Hunk's distain.

"Saddest part is, those are only a few." Lance said, his voice lowering. It was often rare that the always upbeat and comical Lance would dawn such a serious outlook, rivaling almost Keith in a way. "This has been going on for a thousand years. There are hundreds of planets out there that have been enslaved by the Galra. Maybe more than we can count."

"Zarkon may rule, but we still have family." said Shay's father, taking his wife's hand in his. "That's where true happiness comes from."

The sound of breaking rocks caught everyone's attention. Rax, in his anger, threw his bowl to the ground, shattering it to rubble, what remained of his soup spilled onto the ground. "The Galra would tear our family asunder if they found these ruins! Everyone comes to Balmara and takes but gives nothing in return!"

Shay hung her head in sadness. "In the past, those who took the Balmara's crystals would replenish her with energy. It was an equal exchange. But the Galra only take." she pressed her hand over the surface of the ground, and a faint glow emitted from her palm, followed by soft wailing, like a sad whale singing a sad tune. "It is no wonder we can feel her suffering." her voice cracked.

Allura too pressed her hand to the ground, feeling the pain of the creature with her powers. The sound was crisp and clear in her ears and she felt her heart be torn to pieces. She covered her mouth, trying to keep herself from gasping too loudly, and tears welled up in her eyes. Keith reached out his hand for hers, which rested on her lap. He gripped it tightly in an effort to comfort her. Thankfully, no tears spilled from her eyes and Allura was able to keep her composure long enough. She kept her eyes closed until her tears dried.

"I'm sorry we put you all in this situation." Hunk said compassionately, "But, the faster we get the Yellow Lion and get out, the faster everyone is out of danger."

"What worth is this lion to you?" Shay asked.

"We need it to form Voltron." Lance said, "Ever heard of it?"

"A child's tale."

"Well, it's real. And we're its Paladins!"

"Once we have all five lions together, we will form Voltron and finally put an end to Zarkon's reign." Keith said with fierce determination.

Shay and her family looked at him in shock. "Defeat Zarkon?" Shay's father said in disbelief. "Is that even possible?"

"Quiet!" Rax exclaimed forcibly. "Your quest is in vein! There is no lion on Balmara, and even if there was, battle patrols wait to take down their ship! These ones have no chance of getting out of here alive. With the lion, or without."

"Wow, you must be real fun at parties." Lance said sarcastically while folding his arms.

Keith stood up from where he once stood, facing Rax. "We've traveled across the universe and fought Galra before."

"Three times, actually." Hunk pointed out.

"Technically, four times if you count that one ship when we left Altea." Pidge said.

"Right."

"Point is, whatever the Galra has planned, we'll be ready for them." even though Keith was a head shorter than Rax, he still stood his ground before the Balmaran. He looked down at Keith, clenching his fists, as well as his jaw.

"You will not live to see the light of day if the Galra have anything to say about it." Rax sneered.

"Wanna bet on that?"

"Keith!" Allura gently tugged his arm, whispering in his ear. "Let's not start a rumble. We have to search for the lion and get these Galra away from the Balmara before they kill it!"

Keith relaxed and turned to the others. "Pidge, you and Coran see what you can do to fix the ship. Hunk, Allura, Lance, we're going to search for the blue lion."

"Wait, why do I have to go?" Hunk asked.

Keith rose a brow, "Because it's _your_ lion, remember?"

"Is it? Are you sure? I-I'm pretty sure I was blue."

"I'm blue!" Lance exclaimed, optioning a thumb at himself.

Hunk hung his head in dismay. He knew this moment was coming. He was just hoping it came latter rather than sooner.

(~)

Keith and Allura were ahead, with Lance close behind, his riffle in hand in case he spotted any Galra coming up from behind them. Hunk was close to Lance, gripping his shoulders, hiding behind him at every turn. Lance was growing more and more annoyed with him by the minute. "Hunk, a little personal space? Your breath is killing me!"

"Sorry. I'm just nervous. I mean, this is my first robot lion, and I'm not sure how to handle it."

"And, _how_ many robot lions have you met, exactly?"

"What if the lion doesn't like me? What if the Galra already got to it? What if they're already expecting us and it's an ambush! Oh man, we did not think this through!"

"Hunk, knock it off! You're freaking yourself out." Keith said, though he spoke in as calm a tone as he could muster.

"No, standing inside a Galra infested Balmara is freaking me out!"

"Look, I know there's a very high risk of us getting caught and killed, there's no way to sugarcoat it. But this is where the Heart told us to find the Yellow Lion. Since even Shay and her family don't know where the lion is, you're our only hope of finding it. Will you alright?" Keith asked. Hunk whimpered, feeling as if the walls were closing in around him. Keith attempted again. "I said; Will you be alright?"

"Okay, okay!" Hunk took in a deep breath, "I'll be okay."

"Good." Keith placed a comforting Hank on his friend's shoulder. "Now let's get moving."

"Wait!" Allura's ears flickered slightly. "Everyone get down!" she ordered. The sound of robotic footprints approaching echoed within the caves. The others followed her command. The princess slightly peaked from the stone wall and the footprints multiplied and grew louder. Just as expected, a troop of Galra droids marched their way, wielding laser guns. Hunk trembled in place while whimpering, only for Lance silence him by placing his hand on his head, which kept him stead, and silent, for a while. It was like shutting off a vibrating alarm clock.

The droids marched on past them, and once gone they made their way into the cave…unfortunately, those were not the only droids present. Another group of droids were positioned within the cave, which was illuminated by Galra lights and various crystals. Before they could even duck in cover, the droids had already spotted them and started shooting their lasers at them. The team split in two groups; Hunk with Lance, and Keith with Allura, ducking behind opposite sides of the opening as more lasers came shooting at them.

"I knew this would happen!" Hunk exclaimed as more incoming lasers came at them. They could hear the agonizing wails of the Balmara echoing inside the cavern.

"They're shooting and destroying the Balmara! We gotta to do something!" Keith explained before flinching at the sound of another laser striking the inside of the creature, who continued to cry out in pain.

"Well, we can't shoot back! It'll just make it worse!" Lance replied back as the inside of the cave started to crumble. Before he could suggest any other alternative, Allura had already sprung into action, activating her bayard and charged forward, using a digital shield from her wristband, which she "borrowed" from the ship, and started slicing and dicing through the droids. Since they were robots, she did not restrain herself from sticking her sword straight into their chests and hurling them against the wall. Electricity coursed through their bodies and various body parts laid on the ground. She moved with the speed of a cheetah, and with the ferocity rivaling that of a grown lion or an angry bear. And yet, she moved with such precise timing, speed and agility, as well as the grace of a swan. If swans new martial arts that is.

Once the droids had fallen, Keith, Lance and Hunk stared wide eyed with dropped jaws at the princess, who was surrounded by disembodied robot parts at her feet.

Allura blinked at them. "What?"

"Whoa." Keith said, dumbfounded by the princess's prowess. He knew she was smart, and a skilled pilot, and physically strong to an extent. But dang, that woman could really knew her way around a sword.

"Close your mouth, you're drooling." Lance teased, causing Keith to snap out of his daze and narrow his eyes at his friend, all the while blushing like mad.

But, just when it seemed they were in the clear, more Galra droids came their way. In even larger numbers than before. Allura groaned in frustration, "Oh, quiznak."

Once the lasers started shooting, Lance, Hunk and Keith activated the shields on their wrists, as did Allura, in an attempt to stop the lasers from harming the Balmara further. Sadly, many lasers bounced off off of their shields, while others hit the poor gigantic planet-like creature.

"There's too many of them!" Lance exclaimed. "We have to fall back!"

Seeing as they had no other option, and the fact they would not be able to get into the cave, wether or not the lion was even in there, they retreated, using their shields as cover. However, more droids on the opposite end heard the commotion and came to investigate.

"Aww, come on!" Lance exclaimed in frustration.

Allura charged ahead, protecting her body with her shield and slicing more incoming droids. The princess managed to hold herself well enough on her own, but one incoming droid aimed his gun at her.

"Allura, watch out!" Keith called out, having jumped in between her and the incoming laser, which he blocked with his shield. Pulling out his Galra knife, he impaled the droid right in the chest, making it fall to the ground. More droids surrounded the two, Allura gripped her sword while Keith gripped his knife. It wasn't much, but he made the most with what he got. He'd rather not use a laser gun in fear of harming the Balmara. He heard its cries and refused to in exploding it to more pain and suffering.

"Leave her alone!" Keith said threateningly at the droids. Then, suddenly, the heart of Voltron began to glow from the knife's handle. In a blink, the entire cave was engulfed in a bright white light, so powerful it caused the droids to stop in their tracks. Lance, Hunk and Allura shielded their eyes but quickly adjusted to the brightness, seeing that Keith was the only one unaffected by the sudden light show. Hie knife grew in length and once the lights diminished, revealing a new, sharp silver sword in Keith's hand, with a purple colored outline stretching from the handle all the way to the tip. The blade now bared some resemblance to an Egyptian khopesh.

Keith stared wide eyed in shock at the newly transformed blade in his hand. He saw the heart glowing brightly before diminishing, hiding behind the blue vail that covered its surface. He whispered, "Thank you." before turning his attention back at the droids.

"How did you do that?" Allura asked in bewilderment.

"I don't think it was me. Either way, when life gives you lemons…" without hesitation, Keith pierced his knife right into the chest of a nearby droid before tossing it over his head, causing it to crash against several others behind him.

Allura and Keith shared the same mischievous grins and proceeded to fight the remaining droids. Mechanical limbs came shooting left and right, while Lance managed to shoot at the droids directly at their chest without hurting the Balmara, all the while Hunk had his back to Lance, covering his back with his shield.

The droids shooting at Hunk and Lance were then sliced to bits by Keith and Allura's respected blades. Lance managed to grab one of the droid's disembodied legs, and used it as a boomerang to hit a collection of droids right on their heads, sending them off flying, knocking them down, and short circuiting them in the process.

Keith and Allura fearlessly strike the droids that came their way, dodging their incoming lasers while slicing them to bits. The two individuals moved in perfect sync, almost like a dance. A dance that involved shish kabobing Galra robots. Once the final droid had fallen, after being impaled by both Keith and Allura's swords, the two breathed heavily not only from some exhaustion, but primarily from the adrenaline rush they had just experienced. Droplets of sweat fell down across their faces from their foreheads, Allura removed traces of stray hair from her face, pulling her long hair back behind her head, while Keith wiped his sweaty bangs from his eyes, which it took all of Allura's willpower not to stare.

"Where did you learn to fight like that?" they both asked simultaneously to one another.

"Shiro used to take up fencing and martial arts." Keith said, not finding any need to explain further. Allura was smart enough to connect the dots from there.

"I took self defense classes since I was a child." Allura said with a light giggle. Fighting side by side with Keith was actually a lot of fun. Not to mention, she always did find men who knew how to take down a Galra droid very attractive. "You…you were incredible." she said, her cheeks feeling red hot.

"So were you." Keith said, smiling in return. He knew he found Allura, well, alluring, upon seeing her. However, after witnessing her fight, there was no stopping his heart beating at the same speed as the red lion when Allura is flying it. He had tried to brush off the idea that he was attracted to Allura, but at this point, he couldn't even if he tried. This woman was downright amazing, and there were no words to express how much of a love struck fool he felt when around her.

"Uh, we're still here." Hunk rose his hand to get their attention.

The two took a step back, blushing like mad. For a moment, they had nearly forgotten Hunk and Lance were still present. And that they were searching for the Yellow Lion.

"So, what now?" Lance asked. "Do we just, keep on walking?"

Suddenly, the ground beneath their feet started to crumble. Stones from above fell upon them and a large sunk hole formed beneath them before closing back up again. The group screamed as they fell inside another cave. Hunk rubbed his head as he sat upright.

"What just happened?"

"Are you all alright?" said a familiar voice.

"Shay?"

"The Balmara alerted me you were in trouble, so I came as quickly as I could. You should be save here. This is the only pathway accessible only to Balmarans."

"Sorry to disappoint, but you came just a little late to the party." Lance said, "No worries, we took care of it."

"Does your family know you're here?" Allura asked with concern.

Shay averted her gaze away from the princess. "No. I came on my own. Rax begged me to stay, but I refused and left when he wasn't looking."

It was then, Hunk heard something, ringing in his ears, echoing within the cave walls. "Whoa! Did you guys just hear that? It sounded like purring!"

"That's gotta be your lion!" Keith said with a smile. "Where is it coming from?"

Hunk pressed his hands to his temples, concentrating. He listened attentively to the sound. In his mind, he saw the pathway, clear as a picture. Once he opened his eyes he felt a surge of confidence and determination take over.

"That way! Let's go!" Hunk took the lead, which was a surprise seeing as Hunk was always the very last to jump into the face of adventure. But, the call of the lion was too strong for him to ignore. He had to follow it, no matter what the cost.

Hunk wondered; Was this how bravery felt like?

(~)

Hunk followed the purring sounds down the path. As they went, faint glowing yellow stones adorned the cave above their heads. Hunk listened attentively. "It's getting louder. We're almost there."

Lance pounded his fists in excitement. "This is so great! We're so close to forming Voltron! Man, it's almost unreal."

"I know what you mean." Keith said. It was rather overwhelming. In only three to four days, they had found three lions, and now were going on four. The last one would be The Black Lion. The Head of Voltron.

The Leader.

While Keith was indeed feeling as surprised as Lance with how far they had come at such a short span of time, his emotions were leaning more towards hesitation and nervousness. After witnessing everyone else bond with their lions, Keith, even now, still wasn't feeling too confident about his. Maybe it would be different once he was actually in the lion's presence, but maybe it wasn't wether or not they would bond was the case. It was, wether or not, Keith even believed he was worthy to pilot the Black Lion. The lion was supposed to lead the team, but was Keith really up for the task?

All of the other lions made sense for their pilots. Red was hot-tempered, fast and quick to action. While Allura was very intelligent and practical at times, there was no denying her fearlessness, fiery determination and fierce will to do what was right. She may not have been a loose cannon, but she definitely had a fire burning within her. A fire Red look an immediate liking to. This was a princess who defied her father just to rescue a lion she had only just met. If that wasn't gong by her natural instinct he didn't know what was. Her natural kindness also had a way of bringing out the best in her lion, which was always sweet to see.

As for Lance, he and his lion were like two leafs from the same branch. Nearly identical in every aspect, and just as playful, loyal and courageous in the face of danger. Lance didn't even need to try too hard to win Blue's trust, the same way Keith didn't need to do much to earn Lance's friendship.

Pidge was still new to her lion, but from the looks of it, even the smallest of the lions so far proved to show the same cunning, daring and curious personality as Pidge.

As for Hunk, Keith had no doubt he would find something in common with his own lion. But, for Keith himself…why would a lion who's sole purpose was to be the leader of Voltron ever see Keith as a worthy choice? Heck, if Allura hadn't found the lion, chances are Red probably would have chosen Keith as well. He was just as temperamental as the lion, and just as unpredictable. His fingers brushed the surface of his new, longer blade, feeling the heart's warmth against his skin.

 _Why did you choose me?_ He wondered.

"Tell me, what is the sky like?" Shay asked, breaking Keith from his thoughts. After wandering around for a while, the young Balmaran decided to start a conversation. Since they had arrived, Shay found the skylings highly fascinating.

"The sky?" Hunk asked skeptically as he turned to face her. "You mean, you've seriously never even seen the sky?"

"No." Shay replied sadly. "But, at night, I sneak up as high as I dare, trying to imagine what it is like." she described with a dreamy tone in her voice. "Oh, lucky are you all to fly in your machine, to worlds far from here!"

Her words were filled with such admiration and child-like innocence, it made it even harder for Hunk to accept that Shay and her people had been enslaved by the Galra for so long. Heck, even longer than the Olkari. This poor young alien didn't even know what the sky looked like. All she had ever known was this cave. It was so sad.

"Well, it doesn't have to be like that." Hunk said, empathizing with the alien. "You can be free too."

Shay tilted her head in curiosity. "Free?"

"Yeah, free. It means, you can go where you want. Be what you want, do what you want, no Galra masters to tell you what to do."

"It…makes no sense." Shay pondered, trying to wrap her head around this idea, which proved to be harder for her than she thought. "Zarkon controls everything."

"Nope, things are changing. Once we form Voltron, we're going to stop Zarkon. After that, you and your family will be able to see the sky, and maybe even meet new friends."

Lance and Keith were rather surprised by Hunk's sudden change of tone. At first, he was reluctant to even come on this journey. The most reluctant, save for Lance before he eventually gave in, but now, he was speaking with a confidence they always knew was there, but they supposed he never had the chance to fully shine through.

"Can it really be possible?" Shay asked. Her fearful side was hesitate to believe, but her hopeful side dared to believe in her new friend's words.

"It is. I mean, just a few days ago, I was a space cadet at the Garrison back on Altea. Now, I'm on a quest to find mystical robot lions to save the universe. Anything is possible."

Lance blinked. "Who are you and what have you done with Hunk?!"

The purring became louder. "Over here!" Hunk called out and walked down the tunnel. Rocks formed into stairs and a bright yellow light emitted at the far end of the tunnel. Once they reached the end, the entire cave radiated with the glow of the golden shimmering particle barrier around the giant, mechanical yellow lion.

Hunk stared wide eyed at the creature before him. He was at a loss for words. Shay stared in awe at the beauty of the beast. She had never been this close to it before. Hunk took a tentative step forward and pressed his hand onto the surface of the barrier. In an instant, it disappeared in a patch of gold particles and the lion's eyes switched on. The creature rose up from its sitting position and looked down at Hunk. For the first time in his life, Hunk didn't cower in fear upon seeing the gigantic beast.

It neared it metal nose to Hunk, as if trying to sniff him. In an instant, Hunk felt comfortable enough to pet the creature, causing it to purr softly. "Hey, there. The name's Hunk. Nice to meet you." the lion growled happily, nuzzling Hunk. "Hey, stop, that tickles!"

Lance smiled at the sweet moment, as did everyone else. They had done it. They found the forth lion.

"So, how are we gonna get him out of here if this tunnel is only accessible to Balmarans?" Lance asked. Allura tapped his shoulder and pointed upwards, revealing that, right above the yellow lion was an opening. Large enough for the lion itself. It had been partly covered by the lion's particle barrier beforehand.

"Oh…okay then."

(~)

" _I've never felt more alive!_ " Hunk screamed at the top of his lungs, his eyes wide with child-like wonder while smiling broadly.

"Good, because we'll all be dead if you don't pipe down!" Allura exclaimed, holding onto the side of the lion's cockpit. Shay, Keith, Lance and Allura had squeezed themselves into the lion, and Hunk was having the time of his life piloting the creature for the first time.

"Sorry, this is just so awesome! Man can this lion go! And he's supper strong. I'm surprised he fits inside the Balmara like this. It's incredible!"

"I'm glad you're having fun, Hunk, but get it together." Keith said, managing to smile at bit, happy to see Hunk so at ease for the first time since they arrived.

"Right, okay, got it."

The lion slowed down and slowly made its way towards Shay's home. They exited the cave, only to see a row of Galra droids aiming their weapons at them. They were led by a slim looking Galra commander.

"Turn yourselves over, and the lion." the Galra ordered.

Hunk readied to attack, only for Shay to stop him. "Don't! The Balmara will save us." Shay exited the lion through its head and placed her hand on the surface of the cave around them. Her hand glowed and the wailing of the Balmara was heard. The cave started to tremble and rocks fell from above, crushing the droids and blocking their path. The lion made a mad dash into another tunnel, which Shay pointed out was another way back to her cave. The droids that did manage to survive began shooting at the lion, but its lasers bounced right off of its surface, leaving not even so much as a dent.

The Balmara wailed some more, and more rocks came crumbling down from above, crushing what remained of the droids. The Galra commander clenched his fists in anger. The lion made its way through the tunnels until they reached Shay's cave. The young Balmaran ran out of the lion's mouth first.

"Mother! Father! Rax! Grandma! The Galra are-" she stopped, noticing that the interior of their cave home was in shambles. Pots and kennels spread across the floor, and soup was spilled all around.

"Wait, where are Coran and Pidge?" Allura asked before calling them out, "Coran! Pidge!"

"Guys, where are you?!" Keith called out, only to be tackled by a familiar ball of fluff who then started licking his face. "Balto, you're okay!"

Allura heard adorable little squeaks and the mice rushed to her side. "Where are the others?" The mice began speaking to the princess, communicating in various squeaks. Allura gasped. "Oh, no."

"What happened?" Hunk asked.

"Somehow, the Galra knew we were here and have taken Shay's family, our friends and our ship!"

"I don't believe it!" Lance exclaimed in disbelief, "…You speak mouse?"

"It's a trick I learned as a child, but that's not important right now."

Shay broke down into tears, sobbing as she touched the ground. "This is all my fault! I never should have left them!" she weeped. Allura crunched down to her level, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"It's not your fault, Shay. We're the ones who brought this upon your family. We're the ones who should be apologizing to you."

"No, you were only completing your mission. I can not fault you for this."

Hunk felt a stab in his chest. It wasn't fair that Shay and her family had to endure this kind of torment. They were innocent beings, with lives and families and hopes and dreams. He heard his lion whimpering alongside the poor Balmara and nuzzled her body in an effort to comfort her. Seeing this ignited something within Hunk. He couldn't just sit around and watch these poor people suffer. He had witnessed many innocent suffer in the greedy hands of the Galra. He refused to allow Shay and her people to fall into the same fate.

"Don't worry, Shay. We're going to break your family out." Hunk said, his eyes vivid with determination.

"How?" Lance asked. "We don't even know where they are." Lance then heard the sound of growling, as did Allura. It was Red and Blue, communicating with them. In their minds, they saw their lions, inside the ship, in an underground hanger, guarded by various Galra droid sentries, and several other small Galra ships, no doubt ready for departure. They also saw a prison, where four Balmarans, an Altean grown man and a red-headed young human girl were locked inside a purple cell.

"I heard Red!" Allura said.

"And I heard Blue! The others are inside some prison cell, while the lions are in a hanger with a bunch of Galra ships ready to leave."

"Those must be the crystals they have stolen from the Balmara." Shay said.

Keith pondered on a plan and, surprisingly, this one came up on the spot. He knew exactly what needed to be done. "Alright, here's the plan. Lance, you lead Shay and Hunk to the prison where the others are. Allura, you and me take down the droids and get the lions out."

"Why don't we just take the yellow lion and slam the sentries and be done with it?" Lance asked.

"We can't. The Balmara is already fragile enough as it is. We can't just barge in and start fighting like crazy."

"Oh, right."

"I think I have an idea on how to trap the ships in." Allura said, her mice chirping in agreement.

Keith nodded. "Alright, let's bust them out!"

(~)

The Yellow Lion nuzzled Hunk one last time. "Don't worry, big fella. I'll be back. You just let me know if anything happens, okay?" the lion growled softly in agreement and activated its protective particle barrier, which surprisingly camouflaged it with the surrounding caves. "Wow…cool!"

"Aright, let's split up." Keith ordered. Lance offered him his hand, to which Keith shook and the two hugged.

"Be careful, _hermano._ "

"You too."

Lance playfully ruffled Keith's hand, making him laugh before turning to Allura. With a simultaneous nod, the two went the opposite direction, with Keith following Allura, who knew the way.

"Are those two affianced by any chance?" Shay asked innocently.

"Not yet." Lance said with a smirk and took the lead, "But when it happens, I call dibs on Best Man!"

"What? No, you can't call dibs on being the Best Man!" Hunk called out as he and Shay, and Balto who tagged along, followed close behind.

"Since when?"

"Uh, since forever! That's Best Man edit, I wrote the book."

"You did not!"

(~)

Keith and Allura reached the hanger, and just as Red had shown Allura, there was an assortment of Galra ships, guarded by a few sentries.

"So, what's this plan of yours?" Keith whispered to the princess.

"Look there." Allura pointed her finger towards the ceiling, "If we can get to the control panels and shut down the bay doors, the ships will be trapped inside."

"Good plan." Keith said, giving her a smirk, which Allura almost regarded as a flirtatious reply. Wether he was doing it intentionally or not, didn't bother her in the slightest. Whenever Keith smiled, he was just so darn cute!

The two quietly made their way towards the bay doors, walking over the catwalk just above the ships and sentries. Because it was so wide nobody saw them approaching.

(~)

"All these tunnels look the same." Hunk said as he and Shay continuously followed Lance.

"We're almost there." Lance replied. "It's right after this next tunnel. Once we get there, we have to disable the energy doors. But we're going to have to take down some Galra droids first."

"Oh, joy."

(~)

Allura punctured her sword through the surface, creating a hole and the two ambushed a Galra droid, smashing his head once they landed from the ceiling. Keith saw the hand print, the same as from the security scanner from Olkarion, and placed his hand on its surface. The hanger doors closed as a result.

Keith looked down at his hand, "Looks like being half-Galra actually came in handy for once." he said, though with very little enthusiasm. Keith's entire body suddenly froze in place, his eyes like saucers at the feeling of Allura's soft lips on his cheek once again. His heart skipped and his face turned as red, feeling the room suddenly become hotter as a result.

"You're definitely the cutest Galra I've ever seen." Allura said with a wink. As if Keith didn't feel flustered enough already, he most certainly was now.

(~)

The beast roared within its prison once it saw Haggar approach him. "At ease, Sendak. Your time had come at last. We have just received word that the lions have been found on Balmara. I do not trust those fools with retrieving the lions. Do _not_ fail Zarkon again."

Sendak growled in reply. He would not fault Zarkon again. Not now, or ever.

(~)

Zarkon sighed in satisfaction once removing his hand from the transparent floor. A radiant purple glow emitted from underneath his feet, followed by the sounds of wailing and roaring in anguish. "As always, you never fail to supply me with what I need, my pet. It's because of you, my reign has expanded all across the galaxy, and is still growing with every breath I take."

The creature down bellow screeched.

"At ease. Soon, you will be reunited with your children once more…where you will have the opportunity to watch me destroy them right in front of you. That way, you shall have no more reason to cry anymore."

A large paw print with razor sharp claws tried desperately to dig into the unbreakable glass. The roar boomed like an explosion that could be heard for miles, but could only be heard by Zarkon himself. He did not flinch. Not even once.

(~)

Lance, Hunk and Shay arrived at the gate, where as expected, robot sentries stood guard. "How are we gonna get past them?" Hunk asked.

"Don't you have your own bayard now?" Lance asked.

"I, uh…I forgot it on my lion." Hunk said, bashfully tapping the tips of in fingers together. Lance groaned in annoyance. However, the mice squeaked in his ear before crawling towards where the sentries stood. Some landed on their heads, which prompted them to try and attack the creatures, only to wind up hitting themselves. Others bit the hands of the droids, which caused them to shoot at whatever was near them, resulting in them shooting each other. Balto even ran up and bit on one droid's leg, yanked its foot right off and the robot lost its balance before falling over the railing and landing on the ground. The creatures either squeaked or baked in victory, allowing the others to walk right through with little issue.

"Nice work, guys!" Lance said, petting Balto's head while the mice crawled up to his shoulder. Hunk took one of the disembodied droid arms and placed it on the scanner in order to open the purple particle gate. They hurried inside, quickly dodging some incoming droids before approaching a cell, also with a purple particle wall, which was transparent so Shay could see it was her family in there.

"Mother! Father! Don't worry, we're here to get you out."

Using the same Galra arm, they deactivated the barrier and Shay rushed towards her family. "Shay, you're alright!" her mother hugged her youngest child.

"What happened?" Hunk asked Shay's father. "How did the Galra find out about you helping us?"

Shay's parents and grandmother did not say a word, but instead turned towards Rax, who sat dejectedly in the cell. Shay gasped. "No. Rax, why?!"

"This was the only way to protect you!" her brother said in his defense, "These outsiders only brought trouble to our family! If I revealed to them where they were, they would spare us."

"But they didn't keep their word, and now you all wounded up locked in prison because you just didn't want to believe us." Lance crossed his arms. "Why am I not surprised?"

Rax narrowed his eyes. "Our lives may not have been perfect, but at least our family was whole!"

"Your family is dying!" Hunk said, standing his ground. "Look Rax, I know what it's like to want to play it safe just so you and nobody you care about gets hurt. But, sometimes you have to let go of that fear in oder to do the right thing. If you don't, you'll live the rest of your life in darkness. That's not living, that's a slow death."

Rax's eyes widened at the human's words. They were filled with such raw emotion and wisdom unlike anything he had ever witnessed in many years. When he mentioned "a slow death" it made him think about the Balmara, how she was slowly dying more and more, and it wouldn't be long before she did. Rax was so scared of dying that he didn't stop to think about the possibility of a better life. Hunk was right, he had to stop being scared. Maybe, his naive little sister wasn't being foolish in trusting these strangers after all.

"Where are Coran and Pidge?" Lance asked.

"When the Galra imprisoned us, they took your friends to the core of the Balmara." said Shay's father.

"Why would they do that?" Hunk asked.

Lance connected the dots rather quickly. "It's a set up! They know we have the lions, and no doubt are using Coran and Pidge as bait to lure us into an ambush."

"We've got to warn Keith and Allura!"

"Way ahead of you." Lance pulled his sleeve back, revealing the wristband which had previously activated his shield. He pressed a button and spoke into it, contacting his friends. "Keith, Allura, we have Shay's family, but Coran and Pidge were taken to the Balmara's core. I think it's a trap."

(~)

"Copy that, we're on our way." Keith replied…right after he sliced the remaining sentry with his sword. He and Allura had just regained their ship, with the lions inside and flew off into the tunnels. Unfortunately, the tunnels soon became too narrow for them to continue.

"We can't go any further!" Allura exclaimed. "The tunnel is too narrow!"

"Then, we'll just have to go on foot."

Keith and Allura exited the ship but not before opening the cargo hold, releasing the robotic lions and they ran through the tunnels towards the Balmara's core. Allura placed her hand onto the surface of the cave. The Balmara silently informing her in which direction to go.

(~)

Hunk, Lance, Shay and the rest of her family arrived at the Balmara's core, which illuminated with bright orange and red colors. The center had a large, orang colored lava-like pillar with blue lights emitting from the punctured holes.

Hovering near it where Pidge and Coran, their hands cuffed over their heads, dangling from a floating Galra droid, and their mouths gagged.

"Pidge! Coran! You're alive!" Hunk exclaimed happily. Both the Altean and human girl rapidly shook their heads, as if trying to warn them of something. Lance didn't pay attention to it and blasted the Galra device with his riffle, freeing the two. Lance was able to catch Pidge in his arms, while Coran was unfortunately plummeted to the ground.

"Oops, sorry." Lance apologized and helped Pidge to her feet. She removed the metal object from her mouth as did Coran.

At that moment, Keith and Allura had arrived. "Where are the Galra?" Allura asked. "Is this is an ambush they should be here waiting for us."

The doors behind them closed shut, locking the group inside. "Not an ambush. A trap." Hunk concluded.

"That what we were trying to tell you!" Pidge said, "They knew we had the lions so they used me and Coran as bait to trap all of us so that the Galra can have the lions!"

"Yeah, we kind of figured that out already." Lance said.

"How did they know we had the lions before?" Allura asked. "Only Shay and her family knew."

"Because of me." Rax hung his head in shame. "This is all my fault. I conspired against you, and because of my actions my family was imprisoned. Hunk was right. I'm tired of being afraid of dying. It's time our people took action."

"Great! You could start by helping us find a way out of here." Hunk said with a genuinely grateful smile.

"Perhaps my people can help us get out." said Shay. She pressed her hand onto the surface of the Balmara's core, her palm glowing a bright blue. "This is how we communicate. The Balmara senses our vibrations and sends a message to those in the tunnels."

"You sure your people can hear us from all the way down here?" Pidge asked.

"The Balmara will deliver the message." Shay said.

"But how can we rise up to our Galra overlords?" Shay's father asked.

"What choice do we have?" Rax replied with fierce determination. "They have stolen all of the crystals from our Balmara. Our lives are worthless to them now."

"But Balmarans have never fought."

"Father, you taught me that without family we have nothing. How can we do nothing while the paladins sacrifice everything to save us? We must do our part!"

"Yeah! Preach it, brother!" Pidge thrusted her hand, much to the surprise of her friends. "Sorry, got caught up in the message there."

Shay closed her eyes and focused her energy on sending her people the word, so that they may help her friends. Her family, including Rax, got down on their knees to alert the other Balmarans as well. All throughout the tunnels, a number of Balmaran slaves heard their home calling to them. Friends, fathers, mothers, children, grandmothers, grandfathers, brothers and sisters, they all heard the cries for help from their fellow Balmarans. Those who knew of Shay's family personally, made haste and rushed towards the Balmara's core, using their seismic ability to open the gates around the doors, allowing them to escape.

"Thank you!" Shay bowed in gratitude to all of her friends. "We must make haste. We know a shortcut through the tunnels."

The Paladins, and Coran wasted no time in following the Balmarans out of the core and back to their respected lion, who thankfully had yet to be captured by the Galra. Now was the time for action. Hunk jumped into his lion, Lance into his, Pidge into hers, and Allura and Keith into the Red Lion, while Coran hitched a ride with Pidge on Green. The Balmarans watched as the lions rose up out of the tunnels and back into the sky, the sunlight shinning off of their silver colored bodies.

"Alright! Finally, some sunlight!" Lance breathed in the fresh oxygen, or as much of the fresh he could get while being inside a mechanical lion. None the less, he was happy to see something other than constant cave darkness. The four lions soared in the yellow skies and an incoming Galra fleet of ships aimed their lasers at them.

Seeing the large number of Galra, Keith spoke to everyone from within the red lion. "Looks our our Galra buddies decided to come out to play. You guys ready?"

Lance scoffed, "Come on, Keith. Who do you think you're dealing with, a bunch of ammeters?-OW!" Lance nearly hit his head against his dashboard when his lion collided with one of the Galra pillars. The lion summersaulted in mid flight before straightening itself.

"You really want me to answer that?" Keith said in amusement, and Allura giggled.

Lance pouted. "No."

"Let's go!"

The lions opened their mouths, dodging the incoming lasers, and shot their powerful neon beams at the incoming ships. As for Hunk, rather than shoot his own beams, he instead head butted one of the ship, crushing its side and it fell to the ground. He caught another ship's wing with his massive jaw and flung it into another incoming ship. From inside, Hunk felt an adrenaline rush coming on, as he shouted at the top of his lungs with exhilarating happiness. For the first time in his life, he was one hundred percent…fearless!

Allura continued shooting more beams and lava blasts at incoming ships. Then, she heard her lion speaking to her once more. An image of her lion's head appeared on screen, much to her curiosity.

"What? A…jaw blade?" she asked before smiling in agreement. "Alright then. Let's do it, boy!"

The lion's eyes glowed a bright yellow and a double edge blade appeared on the lion's mouth, which he then used to slice right through each of the incoming ships. The attacks kept on coming, and once by one, Galra droid ships exploded. Allura shot one row of incoming ships with a beam of lava, causing the sides to melt away, while Lance froze several others and all ships exploded before them. Hunk still didn't use his beams, but was having a blast with his raw strength. He grabbed another ship by the wing and collided it with several others in a row, crushing them into disfigurement and tossing them aside before they blew up.

"Hunk, look out!" Pidge called out. Three ships came at Hunk from above, but luckily Pidge came in and blocked the lasers with the shield on her lion's back.

"Got you covered!" Allura called out and swooped in, slicing each of the tree ships in the time it took to blink and the three blew up.

Hunk sighed in relief. "Thanks guys!"

The lions continuously shot their respected attacks at the Galra ships, but no matter how strongly they fought against them, their numbers only seemed to increase. What was worse, their lasers were able to hit the surface of the Balmara. The group just couldn't keep up, even with the red lion's enhanced speed.

Coran communicated with the others via Pidge's green lion. "Paladins, I'm afraid we are far outnumbered and the Galra keep hitting the Balmara!"

Pidge tampered with the controls and found a large mining ring, larger than the others, with a massive Galra machine. "If we can take out their main power generator it should weaken their defenses!" she said.

"I'll take out the power generator." Allura said, "Pidge, Lance, Hunk, you take out the mining rings around the area!"

Hunk pounded his fist into the air. "Yeah! Let's go kick some alien butt!" he exclaimed…right before Keith, Allura and Coran all appeared on his screen, narrowing their eyes in annoyance. Hunk chuckled nervously and blushed from embarrassment. "Uh, no offense."

"Some taken." the three said simultaneously before shutting off their screens.

The four lions made their way towards the generator, which just like the ships, started shooting lasers. The center of the machine had a tall pillar and an upside-down triangle star, which glowed bright purple before shooting an even stronger beam at the lions. Lance shoot laser beams from his lion's tail, which hit the towers of the power generator, Pidge had her vines wrap around the towers, which prevented them from shooting their lasers, and exploded as a result. Hunk used his massive lion's body to crush the towers, without having them hit the Balmara's surface.

The red lion zoomed down, slicing the interior of the power generator with its jaw blade, which resulted in it blowing up. The triangle star on the top of the tower, shot at the red lion, but Allura melted the pillar with her lava power. Unfortunately, the lava went right through and the tower started to fall.

Hunk swooped in as fast as he could and sustained the tower with his lion's body, preventing it from falling onto the Balmara and causing it even more pain. Lance then used his ice beam to freeze the tower in place, preventing it from falling and shooting anymore lasers. The paladins and Coran all breathed a sigh of relief.

"That was close." Hunk said with a content smile.

"Did we win?" Lance asked, his image appearing alongside the others on the red lion's screen.

"I think so." Keith said, though his voice carried a hint of suspicion.

"Something doesn't feel right." Allura said. "We took out the generator, the Galra are now defenseless, so, why aren't the troops coming up to the surface?"

Keith's eyes widened when he saw something shooting down from the sky. "I think I know why!"

The paladins and Coran watched in horror as an unknown object came falling at top speed and crashed right into the Balmara, causing it to quake. Even while airborne, the paladins felt the trembling. Smoke blinded them to the unknown object before clearing up. A trance looking device had cemented itself onto the Balmara's surface.

"What is that?" Lance asked in a half whisper.

The mysterious object started to open, steam emitted from within and burst open like the petals of a flower. A giant, metal flower that is. From inside, a large creature on two legs and elongated cannon-like arms emerged from the mist that surrounded it, causing its proportions to look faded. His face was that of a Galra, made entirely out of metal. Piercing glowing yellow eyes stared at the paladins sadistically and stomped his massive mechanical foot onto the Balmara, staring down at the lions. Keith narrowed his eyes as he answered Lance's previous question.

"Trouble…"

(~)


	13. Chapter 13

(~)

The beast took another massive step, and from its perspective the atmosphere turned a bloody shade of red upon spotting the four lions floating in the sky. The beast's left eye turned a deadly red and shot a beam from it's cannon-like arms directly at the lions. Without even giving the command, the lions all rallied together, shot a simultaneous blast from their mouths, creating a shield to deflect the laser. The impact was so powerful the lions were pushed back, but still held their ground. Their beams were colored differently than normal. Each one corresponded with their lion's natural color pallets. The shield appeared in the form of a lion's head, white with black outlines.

"Whoa! How did we do that?" Pidge asked in disbelief.

"I didn't do anything!" Hunk said, raising his hands up in surrender.

"Me neither." Lance shook his head.

"It was the lions." Keith concluded. The lions were the ones who activated the shield. What's more, he noticed the heart of Voltron emitting a bright white glow. Something was happening, but he wasn't entirely sure what.

The lions roared, their eyes glowing bright and pushed the shield forward, sending it back at the beast, nearly causing it to fall on its back, but the creature quickly regained its composure, ready to fire again.

"What is that thing?!" Hunk asked frantically, "Some kind of beast, or robot? A robeast?"

"Whatever it is, we need to draw its fire way from the Balmara's surface!" Allura called out. The lions remained in perfect formation, with Red and Green hovering over Yellow and BLue respectively. When the robeast shot another incoming blast, the lions formed the shield once more, but the paladins within could feel the straining of their lions, struggling to keep themselves steady. The shield was indeed powerful, but it wasn't enough to hold out for much longer, and deep down they all knew why.

The lions were indeed very powerful on their own, and even together, but they would not be nearly as powerful unless they formed Voltron. Sadly, without the Black Lion, they could not.

Instinctively, the lions pushed the shield towards the monster once more before flying out of the way. "Everyone, evasive maneuvers!" Keith called out, "He can't shoot us all at once!"

The robeast outstretched its arms, and more cannons popped out from its massive arms, unleashing an assortment of lasers all around, aiming at the lions. It appeared almost like a laser light show…that could kill.

"Okay, maybe he can do that!"

"Lance, try to draw it's fire!" Allura called out, "We're coming in from above!"

"Roger that!" Lance commanded his lion to zoom downwards and used it's lasers at the beast. From above, Allura activated her rail gun and unleashed it at the creature's head. The creature's mechanical eye, somehow and very unsettlingly, managed to move around its own head and shoot a laser at the lion, just when the princess activated her rail gun. The two blasts collided. Allura clenched her jaw as her entire lion vibrated. The beam was more powerful than Allura anticipated and she was almost knocked out of the sky. She recollected herself right before hitting the ground.

"Okay, _that_ was unsettling!" Allura shuddered.

"We have to find it's blind spot!" Keith said as he and the others dodged more incoming beams.

"I don't think this thing has a blind spot." Pidge said, "It has a thousand eyes!"

Hunk made his lion fly away from the incoming blasts, accidentally hitting another one of the Galra pillars in the process. "Laser eyes! Laser eyes!"

Lance activated his sonic cannon from his lion's back and locked it onto the robeast. However, the sound had no effect on the beast. Now that he was no longer organic, the sonic noise didn't effect him. The laser came at lance and he had to quickly fly away, much to his dismay.

"Okay, that didn't work!"

The beast felt another hit from behind, curtesy of the red lion using its rail gun. From its chest, and it's multiple cannons on its arms, as well as the cannons on its wrist, it fired at the red lion. Red flew as quickly as he could out of the way, but its side was hit by one of the lasers. Allura cried out, feeling the lion's pain, only to be caught by Hunk's lion, who helped her regain her balance.

"Thank you, Hunk."

"Anytime, Princess."

Pidge soared around the beast, narrowly missing the lasers and aimed her cannon at the beast, striking its head. Vines began to grow rapidly from its side, but the powerful beam of its lasers were able to break them apart with ease.

"Aww, come on!" she cried out. "What do we do? Hitting this thing is like trying to take out an entire fleet at once!"

"Everyone fall back!" Keith called out.

"We can't just give up!" Allura stated.

"We're not, but we can't hold out for much longer. Everyone, to the mines. It's the only place where the monster can't get us!"

"Roger that!" Pidge called out. She and the other lions dove down into one of the mines, as as expected, the monster couldn't reach them from down bellow. The four lions landed safely, and the paladins exited to encounter Shay and her family. The Balmara shook in reaction to the robeast's lasers.

"What is happening?" Rax questioned.

"There's a monster that Zarkon sent to destroy us." Keith replied.

"A monster?!" Shay repeated, "Will Zarkon's savagery never abate?" she hugged her father sadly. "Perhaps our people were never meant to be free."

"Shay, don't give up!" Hunk said, speaking with a mixture of confidence and compassion. "Zarkon's power grows with every planet he conquers but he's weakened by every being that fights back."

"Fight back? Against a monster like that? How?"

"I don't know, but we can beat it. Tell her."

Lance darted his eyes from Hunk, then to Shay, then to the others before back at Hunk. "Are you looking at me?"

"We _can_ beat it." Keith said, "It may be bigger, but we've managed to fight against Galra battle ships, giant sea monsters and a super weapon with only one lion each. With the four of us we can find a way to stop it."

"But most of our attacks didn't work." Pidge said, "It's laser eyes just bursted right through my vines."

"And my sonic cannon had no effect on him." Lance said.

"Your attacks may not have worked, but that doesn't mean they won't if we just coordinate it right." Keith said.

The ground beneath and all around them started to shake, followed by the sound of an agonizing wail. There have been many rumbles and quakes since the team had arrived on Balmara, but this one felt different. It was stronger, yet at the same time weaker. It nearly caused them to stumble, yet not enough to make them feel they had to hold onto something to loose their balance. It was like an injured patient, struggling to stand up. The pain was excruciating, but the movements were slow and weak due to the pain.

Shay's grandmother pressed her hand onto a crack that had formed. She and the other Balmarans looked at it with grave sadness.

"The Balmara weeps now more than ever." Rax said, his voice cracking as if trying desperately to fight back the tears. "Our home now crumbles beneath out feet. The Balmara is dying."

The quaking continued, rocks and dust fell all around, and the wailing grew louder and louder with each second that went by. Coran placed his hand on the surface of the cave. "Poor creature. The Galra's greed has cost it it's life."

"What's gonna happen?" Hunk asked.

"It's entire core will collapse, destabilizing its skeletal structure, and everything and everyone in it will be crushed into dust."

"How long before it's core collapses?" Keith asked.

Pidge activated her wrist band, showcasing a holographic image of the Balmara. "Could be a matter of hours." she said sadly. "Maybe less."

"The mighty organism willingly gives itself to all." Coran looked down, dejected. "But not all have returned its kindness."

Keith took in a deep breath, trying to keep himself calm. But, in all honesty, the reality of a poor living planet-like creature dying beneath his feet was a very, very stressful thing to have in one's mind. Not to mention the monster that kept attacking and was no doubt making matters worse. They had to come up with a plan, and fast.

A bright glow came from the side of Keith's new sword. It was the heart of Voltron. He removed the stone from the handle and from his feet a bright blue ring appeared.

"The Balmara." Shay spoke, "The ground beneath your feet appears healed. It's essence thrives. But, how?"

Keith stared at the ground, then back at the stone in his hand. Shay's grandmother boldly approached the young boy, taking his hand and tracing her finger across the surface of the stone. The older woman's eyes widened in realization.

"This stone you carry. It has a unique power. A power that has not been seen in centuries." the older Balmara turned to Allura, nodding her head, silently inviting her towards them. Allura complied and the elder took the princess's hand, placing the stone into her palm.

"The stone senses your power, child." she said. Then, the same energy that had surround Keith's feet expanded, appearing around Allura's feet as well. The glowing blue phenomenon grew, staring from bellow Lance's feet, then Pidge, then Hunk, and even that of the lions before merging together as one, healing the entire mine from where the group was standing.

"Whoa!" Lance gasped.

Coran's eyes widened. "Of course. The heart, and the lions are made from the same energy as the Nalea. Her power was unlike anything the universe had ever seen. Even a small bit of her energy can heal an entire planet. Your Altean energy combined with the heart's power has revitalized this part of the Balmara."

Allura looked down at the heart, now in her own palm. She closed it into a fist and turned to everyone else. "That's it! We can save the Balmara by performing the rejuvenation ceremony!"

"What ceremony?" Rax asked.

"In the days of old, when Alteans were given the gift of crystals from a Balmara we would repay its sacrifice by performing a ceremony." Coran explained, "A sacred Altean would re-infuse the Balmara with quintessence. In this way, we had a symbiotic relationship."

Allura grasped the heart into both her hands. "The Galra have only been taking. It's time we give back. I can connect with the heart's energy as an amplifier."

"You're not saying…?" Pidge wasn't sure if to even finish her question.

"I will perform the ceremony."

"Princess, no!" Coran exclaimed, "When your ancestors did it, it was on a much smaller scale."

"Like you said, the heart's power can heal even an entire planet." Allura said. The other lions growled softly that only the paladins, and even Keith could hear. The lions slowly nodded their mechanical heads in agreement. This was exactly what needed to be done. Allura wouldn't be able to do the ceremony on her own, and the heart would need her to perform it.

"Even with the heart, it will still require more energy than you can posses." Coran said, his gaze lowering to the floor. "There is no guarantee you will…live through it."

Upon hearing this, Keith and the others immediately felt a wave of panic overtake them. Allura possibly not making it? No, that wouldn't happen, would it? Before anyone could share their thoughts on the matter, the Balmara shook once more. The sound of the monsters lasers increased and were harming the poor creature once more.

"We can't perform the ceremony with that thing on the loose!" Lance said, "Can we?"

Shay pressed her hand on the Balmara's surface. "I can hear her cries. A part of her is healed, but there is too much damage already done."

"Maybe we don't have to beat this thing." Keith said, "We just need to lead it away from the ceremony. Provoke and evade."

Hunk pondered for a moment. "Okay, here's the thing, I'm worried we're going to be _really_ good at the provoking part, and then like _really_ bad at the evading part. Plus, if we couldn't fight it with four lions, how good do you think we will be with only three."

"You will still have all four lions." Allura said before placing a hand on the half-Galra's shoulder. "Keith will pilot the red lion. He's done it before."

"When did he do that?" Hunk asked.

"Not important!" Keith said rather quickly, as if trying to avoid the subject all together. He turned his attention to Allura, his beautiful purple colored eyes softening. He could sense the concern in her own eyes, all the while grasping the growing white stone in her palms, close to her heart. "Allura…are you sure about this?"

The princess took Keith's hand into her own, holding the heart between their interlocked hands. Keith could sense the power of the stone, just as he always could before. He heard it whisper _"Everything will be alright."_ in a language that possessed no actual words, but the simple warmth of the heart's heavenly glow. The lions growled softly, a sound the comforted their worried paladins with ease. Lance, Pidge, Hunk and Coran all surrounded the two. Pidge placed her hand on Allura's arm, while Lance placed a hand on Keith's shoulder, and Hunk placed both hands on the shoulders of Keith and the princess.

"Everything will be alright." Allura repeated. From deep within, everyone believed this was so.

"Okay. Let's do this." Keith said, though he said so with as much encouragement as he could, half of his voice was still rather drained. Fighting this monster wouldn't be the same without her. Plus, he would have pilot the red lion all by himself.

"You'll be fine." Allura said, noticing his concerns. "Just remember what I taught you, and trust Red. He'll look out for you."

The Balmara wailed once more. Time was of the essence. The five paladins all embraced in a group hug, with Balto whimpering and the mice squeaking sadly. Keith petted Balto's head, putting him at ease. Each paladin hoped into the mouths of their respected lions, with Red welcoming Keith without hesitation. He stopped for a moment and spun around back towards Allura, hugging her for good luck. The princess was startled at first, but returned the embrace…followed by having her face burn hot when Keith placed a gentle kiss on her cheek. He didn't even see her proper reaction for he rushed back into the red lion, and the four robotic creatures rose up into the sky. Allura smiled, tracing her fingers over the area where he had kissed her.

From inside the lion, three screens with Pidge, Lance and Hunk appeared, all smiling goofy grins.

"Ooooohhh!" Pidge said with a cheeky grin.

"Awwww! That's adorable!" Hunk placed both hands on his cheeks, just tickled pink.

"Keith, my man!" Lance beamed with pride.

"Everybody just cork it!" Keith exclaimed in annoyance right before shutting the screens off one by one.

(~)

"Are you sure you want to do this, Princess?" Shay asked, "We do not ask this of you."

"I know. But I won't give up on you. Any of you, no matter the circumstances." Allura said with a fiery ambition that rivaled that of her mother. Coran recognized that tone of voice anywhere. Memories of the benevolent and fearless queen seeped into his mind. Allura was so much like her.

"Can you get a message to the other Balmarans?" Allura asked Shay.

"I can, but I know not what they will say. Even if all Bamarans participated in the ceremony, to heal an entire Balmara has never been done before."

"Please, we will need everyone if this is going to work. Can you please tell your people?"

"There is no need to speak for you." said the elderly one, taking Allura's hand and placing it on the surface of the cave. "The Balmara will carry your words. Speak your heart, child. All can hear you."

The surface of the cave glowed a radiant cyan blue underneath Allura's hand. The princess closed her eyes, and spoke from her heart. "Balmarans, this is Princess Allura of Altea. You don't know me, but I am here to help. There is a way to save the Balmara and all of you, but I will need your help. I am eternally sorry for all the Galra have put you through, but your suffering doesn't need to last. You can rise up and together we can restore the Balmara as it once was. You may not believe this, but Voltron has returned. It is real, and the paladins are here to fight to save your home, and all planets that have been infected by the Galra's tyranny. You don't have to be afraid anymore. We can help you, but we can't it alone…I can't do it alone."

Shay's grandmother pressed her hand to the cave's surface and smiled. "Your words have touched our hearts."

Allura felt her eyes water. "Thank you."

"No, thank _you_. You have given us reason to hope again."

(~)

The monster caught sight of the lions and aimed its lasers at them, luring him away from the mines, from Allura and the Balmarans. The creature activated its jet-pack from its back and aimed his cannon arms at the team.

"Okay, we've provoked! Time to evade!" Hunk drove his lion away, dodging tall arch formed rocks of the Balmara, one of which the creature collided with. It aimed at Hunk, his lion taking the first hit. Purple jolts of electricity coursed through his body as Hunk struggled to regain his maneuver. The red lion jumped onto the robeast's shoulder, getting its attention. Just as it was about to shoot at Keith, Lance swooped in and shot his ice beam at the robeast's head. Its lasers melted broke right through the ice and aimed again at Lance.

Keith flew around the monster, studying its proportions and it's battle strategy. He knew that there were too many lasers to strike, and that a sonic cannon and the natural elements weren't enough to keep it in place. It had lasers in its head and arms, even his chest. The only place where it didn't seem to have lasers was…its legs.

The young man pondered, thinking about the various powers his team possessed. Pidge was short and quick, and she had a cloaking deceive. It was then it hit him.

"Pidge, use your cloaking device and aim your vine cannon at the robeast's legs!"

"On it!" Pidge did as Keith had requested and used her cloaking ability to hide from the monsters's eyes. Activating her cannon, she aimed at the creature's legs, causing vines to grow from within at an exponential rate. The creature couldn't move with the vine sticking it to the ground, but quickly saw the vine breaking as a result.

"Lance!" Keith called out.

"Already on it!" Lance aimed his ice beam at the vines, freezing them in place. With the beast distracted, Keith activated the rail gun and shot directly at the beast's head. It aimed its laser beam once more, and just like before, the four lions gathered to create the shield, to block the attack. The monster aimed all of its lasers at them. Then, Hunk heard his lion purring.

"Guys, I think my lion knows what to do!" he said and flew directly at the beat's torso just as it was breaking the vines and ice that incarcerated it. Hunk let out a psychotic scream and his lion's eyes glowed a bright yellow, letting out a mighty roar. The same yellow glow appeared on its front paws, increasing in size, as well as a powerful armor around it.

The lion's powerful paws dug into the surface of the creature's ribcage, tearing it to shreds as he flew around it. Even when the lasers came at Hunk, they bounced right off of his armor. "Whoa! Did you guys see that? My lion's Hercules!"

"Great job, Hunk!" Keith said with pride. It was such a sight to see his most timid friend suddenly become so valiant. He always knew he had it in him. It would seem he just needed the right motivation.

The robeast's ribcage emitted bolts of electricity, but was still standing. He continued shooting its beams at the team, with Hunk being the leas effected due to his armor. "This isn't working!" Lance called out. "I don't know how much longer we can hold up!"

"Like I said, we don't have to beat it, just keep it distracted and away from the tunnels." Keith said.

"Okay, and what will we do once Allura does the ceremony? If this thing stays it's gonna just keep attacking."

"Not necessarily." Keith said.

"What do you mean?"

"Trust me. Just keep the robeast distracted."

Lance was a bit hesitant at first, but decided to comply. "Okay. Don't make me regret this!"

(~)

Allura stood at the center of the mines, with Shay and her family surrounding her, on their knees and pressing their hands onto the already healed surface. Allura gripped the heart in her palms, feeling its energy coursing through her. In every tunnel and in every cave, the Balmarans united, participating in the ceremony wherever they were. They shared their energy with that of the princess, and what remained of the Balmara. The bright blue glow appeared beneath them. Coran stared in awe. Sparkling particles rose up from the ground, circling around Allura, her silver hair rising upwards, resembling majestic waves of sea foam, while holding the heart close to her own.

From outside, the the paladins felt a wave of energy emitting from their lions. The lions themselves had their bodies glowing brightly, resembling their specific colors. The lasers that came at them suddenly bounced right off. The impact didn't harm them whatsoever.

"Whoa, what's going on?" Pidge asked in disbelief.

"Is the heart doing this?" Hunk asked.

Keith could only smile. "I think so. Remember, keep the beast away from the mines." he said before aiming back at the robeast with a lava blast to the monster's head.

Back within the mines, Allura got down on her knees, pressing her palms, one with the heart, onto the surface of the cave. The bleu aura outstretched all the way from the mine to the rest of the Balmara. The Balmarans felt the same wave of energy engulf their home. The wailing ceased and morphed into a sound that bared a resemblance to happy singing whales. The lions ceased their fighting, as did the monster, who stared in shock at the magical display before him.

The white particles rose upwards, almost like snow moving backwards, and surrounded the lions. They felt the Balmara's energy returning, and a faint whisper in their ears. A female-like voice saying _"Thank you."_

Once the blue aura disappeared, the Balmara still looked the same, but the paladins knew that she would be alright. Crystals began to grow from its surface, shimmering in the sunlight and all around the monster. It tried to blast them away, but the crystals were far too powerful. More powerful than any other crystal, and twice as resilient. It was no wonder Galra spent years excavating them, and why these crystals last for so long. The laser had no effect, no matter how much the creature tried. Crystals even grew from the monster's eyes and cannons. It screamed in agony before its entire body became completely incarcerated in crystals. Lance, Hunk and Pidge dropped their jaws, save for Keith, who simply smiled in gratitude.

"Uh…Keith…did you know that was gonna happen?" Lance asked, blinking in bewilderment.

Keith only chuckled. "I may have had a hunch." he said. In reality, he heard a voice say so when he and Allura's hands intertwined and when he had the heard in his palm. Funny how it told him so.

The lions landed safely on the ground and exited their lions. Shay and her family, along with Coran, the mice and Balto climbed up. The paladins quickly noticed someone missing.

"Where is Allura?" Keith asked with grave concern.

Shay walked up last, carrying a now unconscious Allura in her arms. Her head leaned against Shay's chest, one arm fell limply while the other still gripped the heart.

"Allura!" Keith quickly ran towards the two, Shay got down and gently lowered the princess, careful with her head. She handed her to Keith, who placed his fingers on the crock of her neck, checking for a pulse. She had one, thank goodness, but she was not waking up.

"Allura? Allura, can you hear me?"

Her eyes squinted and then fluttered open. Her vision was blurry and unfocused, but it quickly readjusted itself and she saw Keith's face, as well as a concerned Shay, Coran, Hunk, Pidge and Lance. They all smiled in relief. She felt a wet tongue lick her face, no doubt it was Balto.

"Did…did it work?" she struggled to ask. The ceremony took more out of her than she had originally expected.

Rax placed his palm on the surface of the Balmara. He looked up and smiled. "Yes. The Balmara lives. She thanks you."

Allura sighed in relief, finally unclenching her fist, revealing the heart to Keith. "Told you everything would be okay." she said, no doubt trying to lighten the mood. Keith could only smile in relief.

Coran squatted down, gripping Allura's hand, a single tear rolled down his eye. "Your mother would be so proud of you." he said, making the young princess smile and shed a tear or two. Keith and Coran both helped her back to her feet, and the princess was immediately met with hugs and congratulatory pats on the back by Lance and Pidge. Hunk pretty much just lifted her off the ground, nearly crushing her in a great big hug, tears spilling from his eyes.

"I'm so happy you're okay!" he weeped, while also laughing with joy.

"Hey, look!" Pidge turned everyone's attention to the beautiful crystals growing from the ground, like flowers blossoming in spring after a long winter's nap. The surface shimmered in the light, and more beautiful crystals in a variety of colors emerged from the ground, beautifying the Balmara like a field of grass. Sparkly, rock formed grass that emitted a rainbow of color. Balmarans left their caves, shielding their eyes from the sunlight before becoming quickly adjusted. Their home was thriving again. For the first time in forever…they were free!

"Aw, who's a good Balmara? You are! Who stopped the bad monster? You did! Yes you did, yes you did!"

"Hunk, what are you doing?" Lance asked, arching an eyebrow at his friend rubbing the surface of the Balmara as if it were a puppy dog.

"What? It's alive, and it loves my scratches, yes you do! Oh, yes you do! Besides, you baby talk your lions too." speaking of lions, Hunk's new one purred happily and nuzzled him with his large mechanical nose. Hunk stood up and hugged his new feline companion. "Oh, and how could I forget about you? Who's a big strong, yellow kitty? You are, yes you are! Who's a good boy? You are, yes you are!"

The others paladins really couldn't complain, after all their own lions requested the same affection from them. Lance and Pidge happily reunited with their respected lions, and Red nudged both Keith and Allura, purring happily.

Keith petted his nose in gratitude. "Good job, Red. Good job."

(~)

Haggar slammed her fist into the wall. "That pampered little brat! I underestimated her. And now the link is blocked again!" she flared her nostrils before adjusting herself. "No matter. Her power is weak. It shouldn't take me long to decipher their whereabouts. Their next quest will be for the Black Lion." a sinister smile creeped across her lips. "I'll just let them lead us right to it."

(~)

After all was said and done, the Balmaras rejoiced in their newfound freedom. The lions assisted in removing the Galra weapons, allowing the remained to be embedded in crystals forever. Children played out in the open fields, taking in the sunlight. Shay's parents danced as a group of Balmarans played beautiful music with their instruments. For years, they had to hide them away from the Galra, and only played in secret so they could not hear. Now, they no longer had reason to hide. Their harmonious melody could be heard all across the Balmara. The creature relished in the sound just as much as her inhabitants did.

The celebration carried on long until nightfall, where the Balmara prepared a delicious feats in celebration of their independence from the Galra, as well as a way to say their thanks to the paladins.

Shay's father rose his rock cup into the air. "To the Paladins of Voltron, for liberating us and sacrificing so much to save our beloved Balmara!"

The Balmarans chanted a word that the Paladins did not recognize. "What are they chanting?" Lance asked, whispering to Coran.

"It's Balmaran for "Thrive and live on!"." Coran explained before taking a sip from his cup. "It feels good to see the Balmarans finally at peace."

"Isn't that stuff made from cave bugs?" Lance said, pointing at the liquid in Coran's cup.

"Yes, but it's actually not so bad." he said right before taking another sip.

Lance gagged in place, but recollected himself before any Balmarans saw him. "Hey, maybe we need to get something like that." Hunk said.

"Cave bugs?"

"No, like a cheer. Like a team cheer that we do."

Lance pondered for a moment. "Okay. How about, "I say Vol and you say Tron! Vol!"

Keith blinked, "Uh…Vol-tron?"

"No, no, no, the cheer includes the instructions. I say Vol and you say…" Lance awaited for Keith to finish.

"Vol-tron?"

"…you're just messing with me, aren't you?"

Keith and Hunk bursted out laughing, answering Lance's question. Keith then drew his attention to Allura, who sat beside her lion, not too far away from where they stood. After the rejuvenating ceremony, the princess felt exhausted. Granted, the heart did help stabilize her powers and allowed her to survive such an task, but she still could barely stand up. She could walk fine, but she felt dizzy after a while. Shay's grandmother gave the princess a special remedy that would help her greatly. She didn't even bother asking if it had bugs. It tasted fine enough, she didn't want to feel nauseous knowing what was actually in it. It took all of her will power to make herself believe it had fruits and vegetables instead.

The red lion sat protectively by her side. Its body emitted a natural heat, which helped Allura feel energized. The mice kept her company, as did Balto, who happily wagged his tail whenever Allura petted him. Keith felt a jab at his ribcage, only to realize it was Lance. He nodded his head towards the princess, silently telling Keith to go towards her. This time, Keith didn't protest or make an excuse why he shouldn't go. After everything they had been through, Keith found it no reason why he shouldn't speak to Allura.

Without even think twice, Keith made his way towards the red lion, while Hunk and Lance fist pumped in victory. Hunk was giggling like a school girl, it was hard for him to contain his excitement.

Balto alerted Allura to Keith's presence by running up towards him. "How you feeling?" he asked.

"Better. I think I should be alright by tomorrow."

"No rush." Keith said as he sat beside her. "Shay's grandmother said we're welcome to stay as long as we need to until you feel better."

"I know."

Keith scratched the back of his neck nervously before speaking again. "I'm really glad you're okay." he said. "I mean, I know you and, in a way, the heart said everything would be fine but…" he was cut short when Allura placed her hand on top of his own. He blushed.

"I know what you mean. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't scared too." Allura confessed, looking at the stunning display of crystals before her. "When I was little, my mother would tell me stories about the Balmara. Even after she and father had brought a new crystal, she would always save one small piece for me." her expression fell, remembering her mother's warm embrace, her kind eyes and loving smile.

"You miss her." Keith said, "I know how you feel. I miss my mom too."

"What was she like?" Allura asked. "If, it's okay I ask."

Keith smiled softly. "Where do I start? She was smart. Kind. Generous to a fault. Strong too." he chuckled, "Oh man, my dad would have rather wrestle a bear than get on my mom's bad side. That woman had a temper like a firecracker!"

Allura laughed. "She sounds wonderful."

"Yeah…she was." Keith felt the breeze hit his bangs and brushed them aside. "She always know what to do to make us laugh."

"My mother always made my father laugh too. She was always thinking of the well being of others and always placed herself second. The way my father looked at her, it was like he was seeing her for the first time all over again." Allura traced some strands of silver hair behind her ear. "It's no wonder he fell so low after she died. Since then, I still hoped to make sure her legacy never died. That's probably why I was so dead set on finding the lions and forming Voltron. My mother only wanted to see the universe at peace. So do I. That's what I want more than anything. Heck, it's even the reason why I wanted to be a pilot. I couldn't just sit around and let other innocents suffer while I remained safe inside palace walls."

"You know, you sound so much like Shiro." Keith said, "Ever since our mom was kidnapped by the Galra, Shiro wanted to become a pilot to protect people. To ensue a better future for our family and for other families as well. He inspired me to want to thrive for the same thing. After learning about what the Galra did to my mother, kidnapping and taking advantage of her, I knew I wanted the same thing as Shiro. Despite being half-Galra, I wanted to prove to myself and everyone else that I wasn't like the rest of them. That I was more human than Galra." Keith looked at the ground, defeated. "Unfortunately, that's the first thing people see when they learn about who I am. This is why I _hate_ my Galra half. It's a constant reminder of the fact that they're still out there, destroying lives, enslaving innocents, and people risk their lives every day to stop them!" his voice rose, before he quickly caught himself. He sighed, trying to calm down. "Often times, I think I can control it, and most of the time I can…except for when I can't." he recalled the time he attacked Rolo for bad talking his mother. "I know you said that it's not what's in my blood, but who I am that matters. Well, it's not so easy to believe that when you're constantly struggling with your other half that could come out at any moment. That's why I can't be a pilot. I can never be seen as a hero like my brother."

Allura scooted closer, resting her head on Keith's shoulder to comfort him. He didn't flinch but relaxed, taking in the sweet scent of her hair.

"I understand. I know how it to feels to have limitations that, often times, feel like they're beyond your control." she said. Keith knew she was referring to her father being too overprotective of her, and preventing her from achieving her dream, and Allura not being able to fully rebel against that idea because of the love she had for her father, and not wishing for him to suffer anymore than he already was since her mother passed. Still, that yearning voice inside her still called out, just as Red's voice did when she first saw him.

The pieces fell into place in Keith's mind when he thought about it. He too felt restrained, not just because of his insecurities, but also in a sense he didn't want to hurt anyone in case his Galra side came out again. He had learned to control it for years, but he knew that inner monster was still lurking beneath the surface. He was reminded of that back on Olkarion.

"But, look how far you've come. Look at everything we've accomplished." Allura sat upright to look Keith directly in the eye. "We battled Garla, monsters, super weapons, saved three planets and a Balmara, and now we have four of the five lions. Not to mention, you've proven you are an incredibly amazing pilot, and a great leader."

"Again with the leader stuff?" Keith said with a hint of regret in his tone.

"I mean it! In tough situations you managed to keep yourself together and motivate the team when they were in doubt. You know the team's greatest strengths and when we needed them."

"Well, they're my friends. I know what they're capable of."

"And they know what _you're_ capable of. That's why they trust you. A leader doesn't lead just by barking out orders. A true leader leads by inspiring others to stand beside him. And look at the results."

Allura gestured towards the others and Keith saw his friends laughing with the Balmarans. For the first time since they left, Keith noticed something different in his friends. Pidge, who was always the tech junkie introvert, had become the social butterfly amongst the Balmarans from her experience with the Olkari. Hunk, who was always the timid "safe-kid", had unleashed his inner warrior when he fought the robeast, and became fast friends with the Balmarans. Even Lance, the always supportive, yet at times cocky jokester, proved to be a valiant and selfless member of their team. He didn't believe in any of this magic business, but came to accept it wholehearted in a short amount of time, and quickly changed his tune about Allura rather quickly as well. Together, they really were an unstoppable team, and throughout all of it, Keith barely even remembered his Galra half hiding inside. Around them, around his Voltron team, he was just….

Well, he was Keith. And, when he was with Allura, he felt emotions he never knew he could feel. Heck, he even found himself thinking such corny thoughts such as this. Maybe his mother's temper wasn't the only thing he had inherited from her. Maybe he got her romantic side as well. The woman did love her cheesy love novels.

"You _do_ have what it takes, Keith. I've seen it, they've seen it, and the Black Lion will see it too. I know it."

Keith self cautiously scratched the back of his neck, and blurted out something he had been dying to say for a while. "You really are amazing." he said. Allura blushed and blinked in surprise. "If you haven't stolen that ship, none of us would even be here. You risked everything to find the lions and for a bunch of people you don't even know. You're the most loyal, brave and selfless person I have ever met."

Allura was flabbergasted. "This was the first time Keith had ever opened up this much. His words were kind and soft yet at the same time filled with so much emotion. From what she had learned, Keith was somewhat of a loner, and was distant at times unless they were people he was close to. Yet, she never heard him speak to his friends like this before.

Her heart beat fast in her chest, worried that if she stared any longer into Keith's eyes she'd drown in them and loose all ability to speak. By some miracle, she managed to say at least one more thing.

"I think you're pretty incredible too, but I think I already established that." Allura giggled shyly, fiddling with her hair. She dared to look into Keith's eyes, and he in turn couldn't look away from her mesmerizing blue orbs, with that small pink circle in her irises. Her smile melted his heart. All sense of logic and reason flew out the window as the closeness between then grew smaller and smaller.

"Princess!"

The two quickly parted ways just when Coran showed up. Thankfully, he appeared from behind the lion so he didn't catch sight of what was, possibly, about to happen between them. "You should be getting some sleep if you want to be well by tomorrow."

"Oh, Coran, can't I stay up a little while longer?" she asked politely.

"That rejuvenating ceremony took a lot out of you." Coran helped Allura to her feet. "Come along now. Shay's grandmother prepared a nice bed for you. I checked it, it's a lot softer than it looks."

Allura turned to Keith, who also stood up. "Go ahead. You need to rest."

"Good night." she said before being led away by Coran.

Keith waved farewell. "Good night." he stared on until Allura was led downwards by Shay's grandmother. When he turned around, Keith screamed when Lance just manifested in front of him. "I hate it when you do that!"

"Ha, ha!" Lance laughed it off and wrapped one arm around Keith's neck, roughly ruffling his messy black hair. "You smooth talking playa, you!"

"Ah! Lance, knock it off!" Keith ferociously ripped away from Lance's grip, adjusting his uneven bangs as best he could.

Lance placed his two fingers inches apart. "Dude, you were _this_ close to smooch city!" he was practically squealing like a school girl. Keith blushed from embarrassment. He wasn't about to deny it, but it would be nice if he could maybe at least enjoy the close chance he had just now rather than have Lance celebrate it like it was the forth of July.

"This is great! Look, I know I said having a crush on the princess was a bad idea, but I didn't say that because I didn't think you had a shot, I only said it because I was worried about what the king would say. But, after we find the Black Lion, form Voltron and defeat Zarkon you'll be welcomed as a hero! Hey, maybe they'll have a parade for us!"

Keith's expression fell and turned away from Lance, folding his arms. Once again, the young man dawned his satyrical stoic and unwavering demeanor. A demeanor which his friends could now see right through. There was no point for Keith to even try and be distant, Lance and the others knew him better.

"Aiming a bit high there, aren't ya?" Keith said.

"What are you talking about? We're so close to stopping the biggest evil the universe has ever seen!"

"Who said we'll defeat him overnight?"

"Well, maybe we won't, but you've got to admit, having a mystical robot warrior on our side is a game changer!" Lance placed a hand on Keith's shoulder, showcasing all of the happy Balmarans. "Look at how much we've accomplished already. Not to mention, you've proven to have wicked leadership skills." he lightly punched Keith's arm, "So long as we stick together, and follow that mystical rock, we should be fine."

"But, what if the lion doesn't accept me because I'm half Galra?"

Lance groaned in exasperation. "Oh, man. Again with the Galra thing? Keith, how many times do we have to keep telling you. You. Are. Not. Your. Father. Come on, we know you! You're the coolest, smartest, most loyal friend a guy could ask for. You've got us through some close calls, dragged me, Hunk and Pidge on this quest-which, for the record, we didn't want to come in the first place-but, if we hadn't we never would have met our lions. Not to mention, you managed to charm your way into the heart of a princess who, need I remind you, is as crazy about you as you are about her. With all of this, why is still so hard for you to accept that you're not dictated by your Galra half?"

"Because I know it's still there!" Keith shouted. Thankfully, it was drowned out by the music, though with Lance being of hearing range heard it cut through the sound like a knife. Even he would admit that Keith could be every intimidating, and at times Lance would naturally flinch in responce. Seeing this, Keith reeled back. "Back on Olkarion, when that Galra commander said I was just as bad as my father, I…" he paused, clenching his fists and spoke through gritted teeth. "I wanted, so, so badly, to cut his throat open and crush his skull right then and there. The image was so vivid in my mind that if it weren't for the green lion showing up in time I could have sworn I had already done it. Don't you see Lance? Even with all of the things you just said, I know that that monster still resides within me! I've managed to keep it under control for this long, but the battle isn't over! I didn't tell this to Allura because I didn't want to scare her."

"Yeah, I don't think _anything_ scares that chick." Lance stated. The red lion gave a slight annoyed growl. "Don't give me that, you both know it's true!'

"Still, could you please not tell anyone else?" Keith practically begged. "You may be a loud louth but you're better at keeping secrets when it suits you. And, I don't want to worry Hunk or Pidge. Please?"

Lance folded his arms. Times like this, he wished Keith would get a good slap in the face. But, he figured since he wasn't half human and half…something else, Lance couldn't fully comprehend what Keith was going through, even if he wanted too. It must be really sad to be going through something and not have even one person with who you could relate to that with. From what Lance has seen (and heard at times) Allura was the closest Keith ever got to a true kindred spirit. While he shared much in common with his friends, Allura shared so much of the same traits, as well as passionate interests and determination, yet personal restrictions similar to Keith. But, when it came to dealing with a internal struggle…hardly anyone could fully say they knew exactly what that was like. It was much more than trying to fight the urge to eat something with sugar while on a strict diet, it was more complex and difficult at times. Still, even if he couldn't comprehend 100% how that felt for Keith, he knew the boy had a good heart above it all, and like any good friend, he would be there for them whenever it was asked of him. If Hunk, or Pidge, heck even Allura had asked this of him, he knew what his answer would be every single time. He was a man who held family bonds and respect above all else, coming from a big, and extremely loving family such as himself. Nothing mattered more to him than that.

"Alright. I promise."

"Thanks, man." Keith thanked his best friend with a hug.

"Anytime. Now, quick question, how close were her lips?"

Keith immediately let go, blushing like mad. "Lance!"

"Come on, I gotta know! Was it like two inches or less?"

Keith bit his bottom lip nervously before replying. "Possibly less."

Lance beamed like mad, jumping in place like an excitable little kid. "Ah! I've got to tell Pidge and Hunk!"

"What? No, Lance!" Keith covered his face in embarrassment. Lance was bad enough, but to hear Hunk and Pidge gushing over this too…he had actually met a girl he legitimately likes, and his friends just have to keep parading about it. He knew they were happy for him, but would it kill people to let him enjoy this in peace?

Of course, there was no much else he could do because Lance was already halfway to the others.

(~)

A pin dropping would be regarded as a sonic boom due to the abnormal silence that filled Thace's chambers. The right hand guard of Zarkon hardly ever left the ruler's side unless necessary. At this point, Zarkon was alone in his own chambers, speaking with Haggar in regards to the whereabouts of the lions. He heard about what had happened on the Balmara. Sendak, having been transformed into a robeast, had been defeated by the Balmara itself. The Altean Princess healed the creature, though many would have regarded such a feet impossible, yet she had managed to do just that. Of course, she had the heart of Voltron at her disposal, so of course it became possible.

The doors slid open and one of the glare soldiers entered. "Sir, Emperor Zarkon wishes to speak with you."

Thace nodded his head and walked out of his chambers. Once he reached the throne room, he bowed before his leader. "You wished to see me, Lord Zarkon?"

The great ruler rose from his chair, slowly approaching the kneeled Galra before him. "When you and the fleet left Olkarion after the lions destroyed my super weapon, you mentioned Commander Tolen did not survive the evacuation of the planet once the Olkarion took back their city."

"Yes." Thace replied, his head still hung in his master's presence. "I would have gone after him, but as you have always said, weakness is an infection Better to cut out than led it spread. He said he could face the army by himself, but he was outnumbered and outwitted."

"I should have expected as much. Tolen was always eager to please, and he was foolish to believe he could glorify me as well as his own ego simultaneously. However, that's not why I called you here." Thace's brow slightly rose in alarm. "One of the soldiers informed me that one of the paladins of Voltron possessed some…peculiar physical traits. A young lad, human, with arms like ours."

"I recall having seen such a thing." Thace answered without fidgeting. "Why do you sound fascinated by this?"

"Do you not remember the last time we saw such a beast? I'm more than certain you have."

Thace dared to look up in alarm. "I-I don't know how that can even be possible. You saw me destroy them, sir. Everyone did. I placed them in a pod and blew it to smithereens before your very eyes. I assure you, I know not how this creature came to be, nor would I wish to know. That infant monstrosity was the biggest regret of my life. I was blinded before, but looking back I am disgusted by my past thoughts."

Thace still did not change his calm, collected demeanor once Zarkon took Thace by the collar and rose him up from the ground. "Then why do I not believe you?"

"Sir, I assure you. I don't know that boy. It can't be the same one. I assure you, it's impossible! If you will let me, I will do all in my power to destroy him. For you, my lord."

Zarkon narrowed his piercing purple glowing eyes at Thace before slowly lowering back to the ground. "You have proven your loyalty to me countless times in the past, Thace. You have slaved and killed many in my name. You are the true embodiment of the Galra that serve me. A perfect example for other Galra to follow. And yet, I sense your loyalties wavering all the same."

"Impossible, my lord. Never."

"I will trust you, this time, once more Thace. Haggar has informed me that the paladins will be seeking the Black Lion next. Unfortunately, with the princess's magic, Haggar has once again lost connection. But, with the princess weakened from her restoring the life of the Balmara, it won't take as long for her to find them. And, when she does, you shall personally deliver the lions to me, and that boy. Once you have him here before me…slice his head right off so that I may see it with my eyes. If not, then you shall suffer the same fate as Sendak. Am I clear?"

Thace bowed once more. "Crystal."

(~)

With the ship prepared, Hunk bid a tearful farewell to Shay and her family. "I'll come back and visit, I promise."

"And I shall eagerly await your return." Shay said, right before kissing Hunk on the cheek, making him blush. Allura and Pidge giggled at the sight. The Balmarans happily retrieved the group's ship from the mines and were ready for their next destination.

Once they left the Balmara's atmosphere, Keith pulled out the heart from his blade once more. He took in a deep breath before handling it to Allura. The previous aura of excitement had shifted, and now everyone, in silent eagerness, await for where the Black Lion would be found.

Allura took the heart, but instead of it showing coordinates, the heart remained inactive. Lance blinked, "Uh, is it broken?" he asked, hovering a single finger over the stone in Allura's palm. She swatted his hand away, without so much as taking her eyes off of the stone. The group wondered what was happening.

Before anyone else could ask any more questions, the heart immediately reacted to Allura's touch, creating a wormhole before them. Everyone stared wide eyed at the sudden reaction. Allura barely had to do anything this time to activate the wormhole, it just…happened.

In silent agreement, the group flew right into the wormhole and exited through the other side. This time, they did not arrive at a planet, or anything remotely similar. Instead, they were now face to face with two open holes, parallel to one another, a large orb hovered in between, with cosmic waves spiraling all around it from both sides.

"Is that a black hole?!" Hunk asked in disbelief.

"Actually, it's two black holes." Coran stated, "And a giant blue star."

"That's not better!"

"No kidding." Pidge said, adjusting her glasses. "Just inside a black hole the temperature is one millionth of a degree above absolute zero. But, just outside of that, it's hundreds of millions of degrees celsius."

"Oh, it's like when you put a frozen burrito in the microwave, it comes out all scorching on the outside, but still frozen in the middle right?" Hunk said, all the while Pidge rolled her eyes.

"Great, now I'm hungry!" Lance whined.

"Focus, Lance!" Keith exclaimed, though trying his best not to raise his voice too high. "The heart sent us here so it's got to be where the Black Lion is."

"But how are we gonna get in there without getting sucked into one of those holes?" Lance asked.

"Wait a tic!" Coran tampered with the controls, pinpointing something in between the holes and near the star itself. "There's something in between those three deadly celestial objects." the computer scene zoomed in at maximum, showcasing a strange looking asteroid with lights on its side. The formation resembled that of a disconnected building, merging with a rock formation, hovering frozen in between the star and the black holes.

Suddenly, a voice was heard from the computer, followed by some strange wording in purple and white coloring. It was a language nobody had ever seen or read of before, but thankfully the voice was understood perfectly.

" _Identify yourself._ " it said.

Everyone turned to one another, asking which one should do it first. Seeing their hesitation, Keith took center stage. "Open a hailing frequency, Coran." he said. Coran complied and Keith spoke to whoever it was contacting them. "We are the Paladins of Voltron. We were sent here by the Heart of Voltron. We've traveled across the galaxy, locating the other four lions. The Black Lion is the one we seek."

The computer screen was silent for a moment before the voice replied. " _Two may enter. Come unarmed._ " it said before the words on the screen disappeared.

"Why would they insist we come unarmed?" Lance asked, folding his arms. "This doesn't feel right."

"We've come too far to turn back now." Keith said, narrowing his eyes fiercely at the obstacles before them.

Coran then blinked in surprise. "That's peculiar. They just sent us a route to the base, but we'll have to move quickly. Because of the solar flares it's only open for another varga. Then it will be closed for two quicktense."

"They're gonna close it for two years?!" Hunk asked.

"Two days." Pidge corrected.

"Oh. I always get those mixed up."

"The course to the base will be quite treacherous, to say the lease." Coran said, turning to Keith with genuine concern. "You're walking a razor's edge between the gravitational pull of the black holes and the sun. One false move, and you'll either be crushed into infinity or burnt to a crisp. I'm not sure if the lions will be able to withstand that."

"The red lion can." Allura said. "And it's faster than the others, and its body can withstand the heat of that sun. I believe we can manage."

"Well then, you two better get a move on." Coran said. Allura and Keith, and everyone else, blinked in surprise. "What?"

"You're not gonna even try and stop me?" Allura said, "Say that it's far too dangerous, that somebody else should go, or anything along those lines?"

"I know I've been a bit of a mother hen to you throughout this whole trip, but you've proven time and time again you can take care of yourself. If anything, knowing you're behind the wheel of that massive beast brings me great relief."

Allura hugged Coran from behind his chair. "Thank you, Coran."

"But, please do be careful out there. Both of you."

(~)

Allura drove the red lion into the spiraling vortex that interlocked the two black holes, following the rout the mysterious inhabitants of whatever was inside towards the base. Inside, Keith's eyes kept darting back and forth between Allura and the path in front of them. Three things were swimming in his mind in simultaneous synchronization. Who was awaiting them inside? What connection did they have with the Black Lion? Could his friends be right and the lion will accept him despite all of his doubts? Or will it reject him either way? Will the people inside reject him once they discovered the truth? What exactly awaited them?

His eyes darted back to the princess, her focused gaze locked onto the screen. She was silent, and for good reason. All of her attention was set on the task at hand. He wondered if she had any of her own thoughts running around her head as well. He quickly concluded that she did not. Allura was, without a doubt, a very decisive individual with an impenetrable will, and a compassionate heart to match. For a moment, all of his doubts faded away, while still lingering at the back of his mind, a small smile formed across his lips, reminiscing all of the things that lured him towards the princess.

Allura's eyes shifted to Keith, though she kept her head steady and straight. "You okay?" she asked kindly.

"Yeah. I'm fine." Keith paused before speaking. "Hey, Allura."

"Yes?"

"I just wanted to say…thank you. For, everything. For patching up my wrist, walking me back home, the flying lessons, saving my friends, believing in me…it really means a lot."

Allura's eyes looked away, smiling softly, her cheeks red. "I'm the one who should be thanking you." she said, Keith looked at her curiously. "Before I met you, I never had any other friends. My father being so overprotective I didn't have much of a chance to socialize with other children. The times in which I did they were the children of a diplomat and they were nothing but stuck up brats." she said bitterly before swiftly changing her tone. "So, when you and the others accepted me into your circle…I finally like I was a part of something. Something bigger than myself. I've learned more about the universe, and even a bit about myself with you guys than I ever did back on Altea. I can't begin to describe how much your friendship means to me." she fully looked him in the eyes, "Thank you."

The red lion purred happily at the two. They shared a laugh, knowing what he said. "We love you too, Red." Keith said, patting the interior of the cockpit. The lion's purring then morphed into growls of concern when the pilot and her passenger felt the lion being pulled off course.

Allura gritted her teeth, griping the contours. "We're getting drawn in by one of the black holes!"

"Get us out of here!"

Allura activated Red's rocks from his hind legs, giving him extra momentum. He leaped over one of the moving asteroids and got back on course before the blue surroundings closed behind them. Allura breathed a sigh of relief, Keith patting her back.

"Great job! That was close."

The two addressed their attention towards the same hovering asteroid formation that they saw back on the screen of the ship. The lion landed on one of its edges. Opening his mouth, he allowed the two to exit. The lenses of their helmets covered their faces, giving them the oxygen they needed, and their space suits protected them from the temperature outside.

"There's nothing here." Keith said, studying their surroundings. "This place just looks like a plain asteroid."

The sound of an opening gate beneath their feet caught their attention. The ground before them opened and a metallic platform rose upwards. Standing where two figured dawned in black and purple clothing with neon blue outlines. Their heads were lowered, but once they rose, the two nearly gasped out loud to see that they were entirely faceless. They were tall, slim, entirely white creatures with oval shaped faces and pointed chins. Their fingernails were long and sharp, sharp like a kitchen knife, and by the looks of it, they could cut twice as hard too.

Allura and Keith nodded at one another. The young man showed them the white stone in between his thumb and finger. The figures spoke simultaneously, both voiced identical right down to their echoing effect.

"You may enter."

The two did not hesitate to comply and stepped onto the platform, which lowered the moment they positioned themselves. The two hooded figures stood behind them in a straight line. Even without visible eyes, Keith and Allura could still feel them gazing at them from behind. Even with their stone cold composure, the two teenagers felt a chin run of their spine none the less. The platform speeded down, the lights of the interior came and went in a flash, to which Keith payed very little attention to. As it slowed down, the doors before them opened. More of the hooded faceless figured stood in perfect alignment on opposite sides, while one stood high on small stairs at the very end of the room.

Keith and Allura approached the supposed leader of this place. The two didn't know if they should bow or not. The hooded figure spoke. "I am Kolivan. Leader of the tribe of Marmora."

"I am Princess Allura, and this is Keith. We are paladins of Voltron."

"I know who you are, and I know why you are here." Kolivan slowly descended from the stairs towards the two. He was much taller in comparison to the other Marmorans. Once he stood before the two, his face leaning more towards Allura. "You were told to come unarmed."

Allura looked down at her bayard, which she had kept with her regardless of what the message said. She didn't want to risk being unable to defend themselves in case any obstacle arose. Keith, just as well, brought his newly formed blade, where he mostly kept the heart for protection.

"I know. Please understand, this wasn't an intent to attack you. We simply wished to be prepared if anything happened." Allura explained, "We have traveled and seen many worlds in great distress. We didn't want to take any chances."

"I understand, child. However, it was not _you_ to whom we were referring to."

Keith felt one of the Marmorans approach him from behind. He grabbed his wrist and bend it to Keith's back. He cried out in pain and was tripped, falling flat on the ground, his arm being twisted to his back.

"Keith!" Allura rushed to help, but was held back by a Marmoran, and blocked by another. The one who had Keith pinned down grabbed his sword, removing the heart and holding it in his long fingernails.

"Our kind can identify one's DNA with only one glance. We can see the Galra blood coursing through your veins." said the Marmoran, while pressing Keith harder to the ground. "That boiling savagery deep within you, only partly shadowed by your human half."

"Leave him alone!" Allura exclaimed, clenching her fists. "He's not your enemy!"

"Where did you steal the heart from?" the Marmoran asked.

"I didn't steal it!" Keith replied, "My brother gave it to me before he died! He took it from Zarkon! He told me to find Voltron!"

"How do we know you are not simply conspiring to collect all five lions and present them to Zarkon afterwards?"

"I'm not! I'm not like the other Galra, I don't even consider myself one of them!"

"He is the Black Lion's paladin!" Allura stated, "The heart chose him!"

"Lies!" the Marmoran pinned Keith even harder. "No doubt he's infected your mind with his trickery!"

"We're telling the truth!" Keith exclaimed, despite the pain her felt in his arm being bend to his back.

"Release him." Kolivan ordered. The Marmoran released Keith, who grunted as he stretched his arm, rubbing it to release the pain. Allura rushed to his side, making sure he was alright. The Marmoran handed Kolivan the heart and held it to the light. Allura and Keith couldn't read his expression, mainly because he didn't have one, but Kolivan kept the heart in front of his faceless head, then turned his head to Keith.

"How is it possible the heart chose a half-Galra to become a paladin?"

"You're guess is as good as mine." Keith replied, somewhat bitterly.

"We came here to find the Black Lion." Allura said, standing her ground, while keeping one hand on Keith's shoulder as she poke to the tribe's leader. "If you do not have it, then we shall leave."

"We have the Black Lion." said Kolivan. "Ever since Voltron dispersed and Zarkon stole the heart, we have been keeping it safe until its next paladin returned."

"So, you've all just been hiding out here all this time?" Allura asked suspiciously.

"Our kind has fought against the Galra empire long before either of your grandparents were conceived within their mother's wombs. What little remains of us have stayed here, to protect the universe's only hope. Many have tried to prove themselves worth to pilot the beast. All have failed."

"What do you mean tried to prove themselves?" Keith asked. "How would they prove it?"

"Through a series of trials. The trials of Marmora. Should you survive, you may leave with the Black Lion."

"Survive?" Allura repeated, her tone shifting from firm and confident, to fearful and hesitant. "You can't be serious."

"I doubt he's trying to get a laugh." Keith said and took a step towards their leader. "I accept."

"What?! Keith, no! This is ridiculous!" Allura turned to the Marmoran leader with righteous furry. "We have the heart of Voltron! It has revealed to us who would pilot which lion and it hasn't been wrong once! Keith doesn't have to do this!"

"Even so, the only way to get to the lion is to face the trials. Much like the Red lion, the most loyal and devoted follower to its leader, the Black Lion's trust must be earned. The heart revealed Keith as a worthy candidate, but in the end, it is the lion herself who must make the final decision."

Keith averted his gaze. He should have known it wouldn't be that easy. Nothing in his life ever was. Allura shook her head. "Keith…"

"I have to do this. We've come this far, we can't turn back now. If anyone is going through these trials it has to be me."

Kolivan turned his head to one of his own, the one who held Keith's word. "Atta, give the boy his blade."

The reluctant Marmoran complied and gave Keith his sword. The two gripped the handle, with the Marmoran hissing at Keith. "We will meet again."

"Can't wait." Keith replied with a frown, taking the sword back once Atta let go.

Allura felt she would be sick to her stomach. These Marmorans may seem like a delicate species on the surface, but after witnessing one tackle Keith to the ground with crushing force, it was clear that looks were deceiving. She wanted to talk Keith out of this, but the boy had already made up his mind. There was no going back now. She could tell by the look in his eyes that Keith was determined to get that lion, at any cost.

Completing his brother's dying wish outweighed Keith's own doubts about wether or not the lion would accept him. Even if it did reject him, they would still need to get the lion either way. This was their only option.

"These trials result in one of two things. Knowledge…or _Death_."

(~)

The Marmoran led Keith away, providing him with a full body black suit, with glowing purple outlines. He gripped his sword tightly when a small platform opened up. A Marmoran, dawned in battle armor, rose. He pulled his sword from his back and aimed it at Keith.

"Surrender now, Galra. You cannot win."

The mere mention of the "G" word was enough to get Keith in a fighting mood. He didn't hold back, but gave it his all as he charged and sliced his sword with his opponents. The Marmoran was fast and swift, more so than anything Keith had ever faced. While he managed to hold his own and land a few strikes to his opponent's blade, the Marmoran managed to punch Keith and push him back. Keith rolled on the ground before regaining his footing and proceeded with the fight. Keith yelled and grunted with every hit. They moved so fast it was almost impossible to see every detail of their movements. Keith cried out in pain when his opponent's blade cut his right shoulder. The suit prevented him from bleeding, and for the cut to go too deep, but the pain felt no different if that had been the case either way. Keith stopped for a moment, gripping his wound, aiming his sword at the Marmoran.

From another room, Allura and Kolivan watched the fight from a computer screen. Allura held the heart of Voltron in her palms, silently praying he would make it out of here alive. "Come on, Keith." she whispered to herself. She cringed when Keith was yet again tossed to the ground. The Marmoran aimed at him, Keith readied his sword, but the Marmoran gripped his arm and twisted it, forcing Keith to his knees, his blade only inches away from the boy's face.

"Surrender your quest and the pain will cease." said the Marmoran.

Keith grunted but did not flinch upon seeing the razor sharp blade near his face. "I won't quit!"

The Marmoran released the boy. Keith fell to the floor, panting as he tried to forget the pain in his arm. His face was already bruised and he felt as if he had been fighting for hours on end, even though the trials had only just started.

The Marmoran stepped aside. "You are not meant to go through that door." he said, revealing the door behind him. Keith made a mad dash for it. In a blinding light, another room, exactly like the one before, manifested. This time, two more Marmorans appeared, and Keith didn't waste a second in charging after them. He dodged their incoming attacks, but was knocked down when one kicked his elbow.

"This is not a fair fight!" Allura protested to Kolivan, who did not waver in the slightest upon seeing his fellow Marmorans beat Keith senselessly.

"Nor is taking on the Galra." Kolivan stated. "Yet, that is the fight you face. _If_ he proves himself to the Black Lion."

"He _will._ " Allura said fiercely.

"We shall see."

Allura watched with grave sadness at Keith being thrown to the ground, over the Marmoran's shoulder, and punched in either the stomach, ribs of face. He was forced to his knees, yet again, but he was still breathing. One of the Marmorans pointed his blade at Keith.

"Surrender, and the pain will cease."

" _Never!_ "

"You are not meant to go through that door."

Just like before, Keith ignored him and went on for the door. This time, it was three Marmorans Keith had to face. He was exhausted, he knew that, but he kept on going. Keith was kicked, punched and tossed around like a rag doll. Never the less, Keith still managed to fight his way through them, just barely managing to keep himself steady every single time he stood, he proceeded forward. Every time one would tell him to stop, Keith defiantly disobeyed and went onto the next door. The fourth one was just as hard as the third, nearly getting a second cut on his left leg. He partly limped until he reached the fifth. Just as expected, five Marmorans appeared before him. The same process continued on from the fifth, to the sixth, to the seventh. Allura wondered if there was ever going to be an end in sight.

"How long does this go on?"

"Sometimes the greatest challenge is knowing when to stop and accept reality." Kolivan said.

"He will _never_ quit." the princess said with fierce confidence.

"One way or another this will end. Knowledge or death."

(~)

"How long has it been?" Pidge asked, leaning against the wall of the ship, while Hunk petted Balto, who sat on his lap, whimpering sadly, missing his master.

"Roughly ten vargas." Coran replied, looking at his dashboard.

"We can't just wait around, can we?"

"The path is closed for like, I don't know, thirty more vargas or something." Lance said, already feeling drowsy with how long they have been waiting.

Coran typed on his dashboard and rose a brow in surprise. "That's actually correct."

Hunk tilted his head. "Really?"

Lance cracked his knuckles and smiled confidently while placing his hands behind his head. "Yeah, I wasn't born yester-quintant."

Pidge approached the dash board, removing a strand of long hair from her shoulder. "I wish we knew what was going on down there, but there's not way to get a read on that base. Too much interference from the solar flares and the black holes."

"If we account for the gravitational lensing, maybe we can reduce the noise and interference and connect with the Red Lion's sensors, right?" Hunk asked, "That's right, right?"

Lance looked back and forth between Hunk and Coran. "Are you looking at me?"

"We could give it a try." said Coran, already getting to work.

"I hope Keith and Allura are okay." Pidge said with grave concern, bitting the tip of her thumb, a habit she did whenever she was seriously anxious, which rarely happened for her.

(~)

Thace stood in his work place, the computer screen before him showcasing various known Galra files he had to look up before leaving for his mission to retrieve the lions. The door of his room slid open and a Galra soldier entered.

"Haggar wishes to speak with you." he said before leaving immediately afterwards.

Thace looked on in confusion. Why would the Altean witch want to see him?

(~)

Keith breathed heavily and quickly, wincing at the stinging pain he felt on his right shoulder. The cut from which the first Marmora had sliced him was hurting more and more with every fight. Keith's face was covered in scratched and bruises. He could barely stand, and didn't even have much strength to step forward. The now ten Marmorans approached him. Keith saw the octagon shaped platform closing. An idea flashed in his mind and acted quickly.

With any remaining strength he had, Keith threw his sword towards the ten Marmorans, which hit the platform, preventing it from closing. Keith kicked and punched every incoming opponent before they even had a chance to swing their blades. He charged at one, who pushed him away. Keith used this to his advantage and fell to the floor. With a sly grin, he grabbed his sword from the platform and jumped right in like a pro.

Allura watched anxiously for Keith to reappear in another room. Once he did, Keith walked out. This time, walking slower, still gripping his shoulder. "Guess I really wasn't supposed to go through that door." he said, trying to take a page from Shiro's book and lighten the mood with a sprinkle of humor, despite his aching pain. No doubt Shiro was better at it than Keith was.

No Marmorans came out this time, and the door before him was different from the others. They were taller, as tall as the room itself, with a familiar V symbol hovering above it. He was so close, he could feel it. However, what he also felt was his muscles slowly failing him. Hs vision became unfocused until he couldn't see anymore. Everything became black. His body finally gave in to his pain and he collapsed. Keith was still conscious, breathing slowly, his wounds still screaming at him. He would need medical attention and fast once this was over.

 _If_ it was over.

Keith found the will to open his eyes, seeing several shadows towering over him. They couldn't be Marmorans, on account of one of them was wearing jeans and sneakers. He recognized that label anywhere.

"Keith, buddy. Can you hear me?" said a familiar voice. The shadowy figure kneeled down, offering his hand to Keith, smiling kindly. Around him were more people Keith immediately recognized. Even more once his vision cleared completely and was welcomed by the warm and welcoming smiles of those he held dear.

"Guys?"

"Let me help you up, _hermano_." Lance gave Keith his hand, which he graciously accepted. His friend helped the injured boy stand back to his feet. Pidge hugged Keith, nearly tackling him, but he was happy to see her. Hunk gave Keith a thumbs up, and Allura…he had never seen her so relieved to see him alive. But in reality, he was just relieved to see all of them.

"Is it over?" he asked, still gripping his wound.

"Yeah. The Marmorans said you lasted longer than anyone who ever has." Hunk said with a beaming smile.

"Did you hear that?" Lance said, "You don't have to keep this up anymore."

"What are you talking about?" Keith asked in confusion. "What about the Black Lion?"

Allura walked up to him, cupping his face into her hands, smiling beautifully and her eyes sparkling. He felt he would drown in those stunning, loving eyes. She took her helmet off, allowing her flowing silver hair to move freely. "Forget about the lion. We'll figure out another way to retrieve it. Please, just stop torturing yourself."

Keith averted her gaze. Just give up? After all they've done just to get here? After everything Shiro sacrificed to make sure the lions were reunited? No, that couldn't be right. Allura placed her hand on his chest, one hand still cupping his cheek and she leaned in closer, resting her head on his shoulder. Despite his injury, Keith felt no pain as she leaned on him.

"It'll be alright. Let's just leave this place." she whispered into his ear, in a tone that was almost hypnotic.

"What is this?" Allura asked Kolivan. "Is that a hologram?"

"His suit has the ability to create a virtual mindscape, reflecting its wearer's greatest hopes and fears. While I can understand why he would desperately want to see you, who are those other humans he wishes to see?"

"They're his friends." Allura said, narrowing her eyes at the Marmoran.

"A Galra with genuine friends. There is something I never imagined I would see."

Allura clenched her jaw within her closed mouth. This Marmoran was seriously testing her patience. She turned her attention back to the screen, watching Keith interact with the imaginary versions of his friends. She hoped he wouldn't fall into whatever trap Kolivan was setting up.

"Allura's right, Keith. Let's get out of here." Lance said. "Coran's got the ship up and ready."

Keith took in a few slow deep breaths. "I can't do that, Lance."

"Why not? You've already proven yourself, but these bozos won't hand over the lion. It's not your fault."

"I can't leave without it. We came all this way. We can't give up now."

"We did what we had to do, didn't work, we'll fight another day."

"It's fine, Keith." Hunk said compassionately. "We won't think any less of you. Let's just go."

Keith shook his head in defiance. "No. Shiro risked his life to make sure the lions were found. I can't let him down."

"I'm sure if Shiro were here, he'd tell you the exact same thing." Allura said, her hand still on his chest, while the other on his shoulder. "We know how important the lions are, but it's not worth you dying like he did. We can't lose you." she cupped his face once more, looking deep into his eyes. " _I_ can't lose you."

The looks on his friend's faces was probably more painful than all of his bruises and cuts. Still, the thought of just leaving now? He was so close, he knew it. The memory of Shiro laying on his deathbed, handing Keith the stone, the desperation in his voice. Keith had lost his family, and while he was still uncertain if he was worthy of being a Black Lion paladin. But, the one thing that kept him going to the end was his promise to Shiro. His brother fought his entire life for the possibly of a better future. Even if Keith wasn't meant to be a hero, he sure as heck wasn't just going to sit around and do nothing to help secure that future. Someone else could always be chosen to pilot the Black Lion, but they would never knew unless he kept on going. He was ready to confess to himself that he _wanted_ to prove he was worthy. To prove he was more than just the half-Galra outcast. To honor Shiro's dying wish. As much as he wished he could go back to be with the ones he loved, he just couldn't abandon the mission. Not now.

Keith held Allura's hand, which was still cupping his face. "Allura, I want to go with you too. But I made a promise to Shiro. We've all worked too hard for this. I can't quit. Not now when I'm so close." Allura looked dejected and stepped back.

"So, you're willing to keep getting beaten to a pulp while we're forced to just stand by and watch?" Lance said, his voice rising. "I doubt Shiro would want you to suffer like this!"

"He was my brother, Lance. He died trying to protect the possibly of a better future. I can't let that just let that slip away!"

"I know Shiro was your family, but _we're_ your family too!" Lance exclaimed, placing a hand over his chest. His expression shifted from sympathetic, to slowly rising up, leaning more and more towards anger. The same expressions could be seen in Hunk and Pidge, but Allura looked more like she had just been betrayed.

Keith looked down at his blade then back at his friends. "You guys _are_ my family, and I love all of you. But I _have_ to do this!"

"No, you don't! Let's just leave."

"I can't do that!"

"And if you do succeed, who's to say the lion will choose you anyway? Chances are it may not! What will you do then?"

Keith averted his gaze. Lance was voicing out exactly what Keith feared the entire time, but the memory of Shiro's words were enough to cement himself to his ideals.

"I'm sorry, Lance. I can't. I won't let Shiro down."

Lance turned away, narrowing his eyes. "Figures. Care more about being proven a hero than about your own friends. Guess Rolo was right. You would eventually stab us in the back."

Out of all the cuts Keith had received, hearing those words cut through him the hardest, and the deepest of all. Hunk and Pidge turned away, looking betrayed. Lance led them all towards the door, their exit. Allura remained the longest, looking at Keith with tearful eyes before turning away as well. His friends, his family, were leaving. His fear of loneliness overtook his senses. Seeing them leave was like loosing Shiro all over again. What was he thinking? Was being proven worthy really worth loosing his friends? Would Shiro really want him to sacrifice his only friends for a lion who may or may not accept him?

"Allura! Wait!" Keith ran after them, and the team walked into a blinding light, which then engulfed Keith. In a flash, everything shifted. His friends were nowhere to be seen, and Keith was no longer standing in a metallic, purple neon lit room.

Instead, he was at the shack back on Altea. His home.

The place looked exactly as he left it. Old and worn, but still comfortable. The rays of the sun shinned through the window, creating a yellowish/orange tone inside his home. The earth shook beneath his feet and Keith reached for the door to investigate until a voice stopped him.

"Keith."

His eyes widened. He knew that voice. The voice that calmed him whenever he had nightmares. The voice that would always remind him that he was his father's special little man. Keith couldn't turn around fast enough and there he was. But, it wasn't just him.

She was there was well. Young and beautiful as ever, with her first born son beside her. He bared the same resemblance as his father. All three looked at Keith with eyes filled with nothing but love.

"Welcome home, little brother."

"Shiro?"

It couldn't be possible, could it? Shiro was alive. His father and mother were alive. They were all there, standing before him. Breathing and talking.

"Honey, you look tired." said his mother. "Where did you get those cuts in your arm?"

Keith looked down at his arms, only to realize that he no longer wore the same black full body suit anymore, but instead a regular black shirt, pants and boots, with his arms exposed.

Only, his arms were not purple. They were the exact same color as the rest of his human skin. He tentatively touched the surface of his arms, feeling the familiar sensation of skin rather than the scaly surface of his Galra side. He could even feel the faint stubble of arm hairs, which he never had before. He was…fully human.

"How…how is this possible?" he asked. The ground shook once more, and Keith looked at the window, which was covered by a curtain, despite the light still shining bright enough to radiant the room.

"What's going on outside?!"

"Don't worry about that." said his father, speaking in a light southern accent. "We'll be fine as long as we stay in here. Don't you want to catch up, son?"

Son. It had been so long since he heard this man call him that. He may not be his biological father, but Keith loved him just as much as any biological son would. If not more, because he was a father who protected his young, no matter the cost. He was nothing like his actual father, and that's why he was the ideal man Keith hoped to become one day.

All of the pain his body was feeling melted away. His heart became filled with nothing but warmth and happiness. For the first time in so long, he actually felt like he was home.

"Of course I do." Keith said, walking towards his family, who all happily embraced him. Tears of joy spilled from his eyes but he didn't even care. This was everything he ever wanted. His mother, and father, and Shiro, and best of all…no Galra blood in his veins. He was now fully human. For the first time, he didn't feel that monster lurking deep within him.

He was free.

Shiro playfully ruffled Keith's hair and his mother kissed his cheek. "Oh, honey, it's so great to be a family again."

"We missed you, champ." Shiro said, smiling proudly. "We're so proud of you."

"You are?"

"Of course. It won't be long before you're joining me out there in space, fighting the Galra. I always knew you could do it."

"Wait, are you saying, that I-I'm a pilot?"

"Best in your class." said his father. "Though, was there ever a doubt?"

Keith couldn't stop the smile growing on his face. This really was everything he ever wanted. "So, where are Lance, Hunk and Pidge?"

"Who?" Shiro asked.

"My friends." Keith replied. "Shiro, you know them."

"Oh, you mean Dr. Holt's daughter and her two friends? I didn't know you knew them."

Keith took a tentative step back, arching a brown in confusion. "What are you talking about?" he asked. The sound of the ground shaking was heard once more, stronger this time. "What is that?!"

"Everything is fine." his mother said with a relaxed smile, but Keith did not head her words. He removed the curtain from the window and his body froze.

Approaching their home was a Galra ship, shooting its ion cannon down on the innocent land. An army of Galra soldiers marched their way. At the corner of Keith's eye, he saw something standing on a rock. It looked a lot like one of the lions, only this one was larger and had red colored winds on its back. Its coloring was also black, with shades of yellow and blue around it. It was the Black Lion! It was right there! If Keith to reach it, he could defend his family from the Galra invaders.

"Mom, dad, I-I'm sorry, but I gotta go!"

"Go where?" Shiro asked as he walked towards his younger brother, "Isn't this what you wanted? To finally be human? To be with your family. To never have to feel alone again?"

"Well, yeah, but look what's happening outside!"

"There is nothing happening outside."

"Yes there is! Don't you see it?"

"Don't you see _this_?" Shiro lifted Keith's arm, showcasing his now human skin. "Don't you get it? You can finally be rid of that Galra half. The half that's caused you nothing but trouble. You can finally be who you want to be. You can have that if you stay."

The sound of explosions and screaming innocents made Keith turn his eyes back to the madness that was happening outside. The ship and the armies were closing in, and fast.

(~)

Keith's eyes tightened and his brows twitched. His jaw was clenched, and his nails practically dug onto the metal surface. He laid on his face, seeing the visions unfold in his mind.

"You need to get him out of there!" Allura demanded to Kolivan.

"He can decide when to leave."

"You're messing with his mind! You're going to kill him!"

Kolivan turned to face the princess. "Knowledge or death, child."

Allura growled in anger. She had been patient throughout this entire thing despite how nauseating it was to see Keith suffer like this. She stormed away from Kolivan, "That's it! If you won't get him out of there, then I will!" she pulled out her bayard sword, only to be stopped by more Marmorans who confiscated her weapon and flipped her over. The princess landed hard on her back and stayed there when one of them pointed his blade at her.

"No one can get him out, but himself." said Kolivan.

(~)

"It's okay, Keith." Shiro placed a comforting hand on the hesitant young man's shoulder. The sense of warmth and security was quickly fading the more he thought about what was happening outside. Nobody in his family seemed to care. His mother wasn't terrified, his father wasn't jumping into action to defend them, and Shiro was as calm as if it were a lazy summer day, where the family had nothing better to do than to go outside or watch a movie they rented and just lounge on the couch without the stress of work looming over their heads.

"You don't have to be scared anymore. So long as you stay here, you can have everything you've ever wanted."

Keith shrugged Shiro's shoulder off of them, taking a step back. A large explosion was heard outside, closer than the others. More terrified screams and cries for help outstretched far and wide.

"You can't tell me you don't hear that!" Keith exclaimed. "Shiro, we can't just sit here and let people suffer! We have to go!"

"No, we don't. The Galra aren't a personal part of your life anymore. They're no longer a part of you. So, there's no reason for you to leave."

All the pieces fell place at the drop of a hat. Keith gasped for hair he didn't even know he was holding. "This…this isn't real." he whispered.

"It's as real as you want it to be, Keith."

Keith now understood. If he stayed, then he would remain human, with his family, his whole family. His life would be perfect.

But, the sounds of people screaming outside were too loud for him to ignore. Even during the times where it was silent inside the house, the booming explosions, screaming and smell of burning flesh was too much for Keith to fully ignore. Just like his Galra side. He should either stay in the shack, where he would have everything he ever wanted, or go back out there and face the painful, ugly reality that was his bloodline. The bloodline he hated so much.

More screaming was heard, and while Keith knew what awaited him outside, hearing those cries for help, and seeing the Black Lion just waiting for him, he knew what his answer needed to be.

"I can't stay here." he said, turning around and reached out for the door's handle. He was stopped when Shiro spoke.

"If you go out that door, then you will loose all of us. You'll be a Galra again. And you'll lose us again"

Keith hesitated, pressing his forehead against the wooden frame as more explosions illuminated the house with a fiery blaze. Keith looked back, seeing his family silently pleading for him to come back. To not turn the knob and walk right out. Even if this wasn't real, for Keith it felt more real than anything. But, it wasn't. This wasn't reality, as much as it hurt.

A single tear rolled down from his eyes, down his cheek as a loud click was heard.

"Goodbye, Shiro."

(~)

The red lion's eyes glowed yellow and he roared, shaking the base. From their ship, the blue, green and yellow lions also awoke, roaring in unison, alerting their paladins.

"Something's got blue on edge!" Lance said.

"Yellow's acting up too!" Hunk said, listening to his lion's distressed roar.

"We've got to get down there!" Pidge said, turning to Coran, who was still tampering with the controls. "It won't be ready for another five minutes!"

(~)

The entire base of the Marmora began to shake and tremble. "I don't believe it!" Kolivan said, sensing a disturbance within their lair. Seeing her chance, Allura kicked the Marmora's blade away from her and flipped away, grabbing said blade from the air and aiming it at the others. When the door behind her opened, revealing several more Marmorans, Allura charged her way through and went after the still unconscious Keith.

Keith felt the ground shake around him once he awoke. The floor was cold and hard, and felt the same black leather material from his full body black suit. He was back. The visions of his family flashed before his eyes but he managed to brush that pain aside to focus on what was happening around him. He heard heavy panting from his right side, and from the corner of his eyes saw a familiar figure running towards him. Her helmet was back on her head and she crunched down, checking to see if her friend was alright.

"Keith! Keith, are you alright?" Allura held the injured boy in her arms, his head resting against her shoulder and she brushed his bangs from his face, wincing at the sight of the multiple cuts and bruises he had on his face. Keith managed to flash her a weak, yet sweet smile.

"Looks like you finally caught me this time around." he said weakly, but lightheartedly. This was enough to assure Allura that he was alright, for the most part. Flinging his arm around her shoulder, Allura helped him to get back on his feet, ignoring the constant shaking of the base.

The doors before them slid open, revealing an empty room. For a moment, the shaking stopped. Silence fell, accompanied only by Keith's soft breathing as he struggled to keep balance. The Marmorans arrived, freezing in place upon seeing the open room. A pair of golden square orbs appeared, followed by the sound of gears and clanks, and a large metallic paw stepped forward into the light. Bit by bit, the massive beast emerged from the darkness before comply revealing itself. It was far more massive than they had envisioned, and more intimidating, yet beautiful all at the same time.

Keith managed to regain the strength in his legs and approached the beast, taking small, tentative steps. The heart in Allura's hand glued brightly, but she stood still, letting Keith approach the beast. She slowly lowered her massive head to Keith's level. From within, he heard a voice. Wordless, and non-human. Strong, yet gentle. Ferocious, yet welcoming.

The young man had drawn a blank in his mind. He didn't know what to say, or what to do. As if by an invisible outside force, Keith's hand rose upwards to reach the surface of the creature's nose. He hesitated for a moment before placing his palm right on the surface. The soft purring echoed through the halls, and Keith felt as if a thread had interlinked his mind with that of the creature. All doubts and fears melted away, as if they never existed, and he laughed at ever having them to begin with. His muscles no longer ached, and his cuts were miraculously healed as a result. Keith walked closer, and pressed his forehead against the creature's metallic nose, smiling contently.

"I found you." he whispered. The lion purred in agreement.

Allura shed tears of joy upon seeing Keith finally bonding with the Black Lion. She never once doubted it, but the scenery was still more beautiful and heartfelt than anything she had imagined it would be. It was like a child being reunited with its mothers. The Marmorans bowed in respect, though Kolivan hesitated before kneeling down as well.

"You have passed the trials. You have proven your worth to the Black Lion. You are indeed…her Paladin."

"I told you so!" Allura stated, followed by a haughty, "Ha!" she paused for a moment, seeing the surprised look on Keith's face. The princess simply shrugged, "What? I did!"

Keith only chuckled lightly and the lion gave a purring sound, indicating she was humored by the princess's outburst as well. Keith had a feeling they were going to get along just fine. "So, now that that's over and done with, may we leave?" he asked Kolivan.

The Marmoran approached the young man. Even though Keith couldn't tell what emotion the faceless ghost-like alien was feeling, or even showcasing, judging by the tone of his voice, he felt genuine remorse.

"Clearly, I underestimated you. The scars the Galra have given us perhaps blinded us to the possibly of change. You have proven me wrong, young Paladin."

Keith nodded and bowed in reply, showcasing his respect was well. He wasn't too surprised by his responce, after all, he had dealt with it his entire life. But, if these trials, and everything beforehand had taught him, it was that there really was more to him than his Galra blood.

(~)

Coran did the countdown, ready to go into the vortex. "Five…four…three…two…one."

A screen appeared before them, showcasing the red lion flying towards them. "Coran, we're coming back!" Allura's voice was heard from the intercom. "And, we've brought someone you should meet."

"They're alright!"

Pidge, Hunk and Lance celebrated, while breathing sighs of relief. The two were safe and alive, and the lions had calmed down at last. The group became silent when they realized that the red lion was not alone. Flying beside it out of the blue star was none other than the one lion they were missing. Its mechanical red wings and massive build made it both an astonishing and intimidating sight to behold.

"He did it!" Hunk exclaimed, beaming with pride. "Keith did it!" from the hanger, the lions roared in victory. Without even thinking twice, the three remaining paladins rushed to their lions. Coran opened the hatch, allowing for the four to fly out into space to greet the rest of its pride. The red lion flew around playfully with his brothers and sister, and the Black Lion floated before them, roaring loudly. The smaller lions roared in unison, greeting their leader.

"So, how does it feel to have your own lion?" Lance asked.

Keith couldn't erase the smile on his face even if he wanted to. The sensation of being bonded with his own lion was too incredible to place into words.

"It's pretty awesome." he said. Though, it was the best he could come up with on such short notice. It was hard for him to think of something poetic when he was still feeling incredibly overwhelmed by the experience.

The five lions all flew around in the vast space, circling and leaping around happily. From inside, the paladins cheered and laughed happily. They finally found all five lions, at long last. From inside the ship, Coran shed a tear or two. This was truly a miracle.

"They did it." he said proudly.

They did do it. And they did it together. Being with the entire pride of lions made them feel an overwhelming sense of pride and accomplishment. They didn't feel like the same kids they were when they first began. They were not just three space cadets, a princess and a Galra outcast. They were a team. They were a family.

They were Voltron!

"So, what now?" Hunk asked, once the lions stopped their playful flying around.

Keith dawned a look of fierce determination. "Now, we take the fight to Zarkon.

(~)

Thace entered the chambers of the witch. "You wished to speak with me?"

"Yes. I have located the paladins. Prepare your fleet. Today, we will have Voltron in our clutches."

Thace did not reply, nor did he flinch. He simply nodded his head and left to rally his troops for the final battle.

(~)


	14. Chapter 14

(~)

"Emperor Zarkon, my ship is ready. Today, you shall have Voltron in your grasp." Thace said, kneeling before the Galra leader.

"Good." Zarkon replied. One of his soldiers removed his long purple cape, showcasing his red and silver armor underneath. Thace looked up curiously as Zarkon adjusted his wrists.

"Where are you going?"

"There has been a change in plans. I will be joining you. I want to see the lions and capture them myself

I said you would personally deliver the lions to me, as well as that half-Galra boy. But, after much consideration with my….pet…I have decided to go and retrieve them myself. And, watch you eradicate that abomination right then and there."

"Forgive me, Emperor, but you should have informed me before hand."

"Are you insinuating in this?" Zarkon warned.

Thace hung his head. "No, Emperor Zarkon."

(~)

The ship flew off from the Marmora's base, with the five lions flying alongside it. Coran watch happily as the now, official, paladins of Voltron spun and flipped in the vast void of space. Even Keith was quickly getting into the spirit, having his new lion flip and leap around with his fellow companions. He could hear their laughter from inside, as clear as if they were standing right beside him. Even Hunk was flipping around as fast as everyone else. Without puking this time around.

"This is amazing!" He exclaimed with enthusiasm.

"Yeah, you haven't puked once." Pidge commented.

"I know! That's what's so amazing!"

"Zarkon's got nothing on us now!" Lance cheered. "So, when do we form Voltron?"

"Uh, follow up question; _How_ do we form Voltron?" Pidge asked.

"Yeah, I don't see a combine into a giant robot button anywhere on my dashboard." said Hunk.

"Actually, I think it's best you all figure it out while you're not out in the open." Coran said.

Allura nodded in agreement. "Coran is right. We should find someplace quiet so we can figure this out without being seen."

"I agree." Keith said, "Coran, can you find any swamp moons nearby?"

The Altean man tampered away on his dashboard, and finding the said moon on his computer screen. "Way ahead of you! Just make that wormhole and we'll be off."

"Alright, we're coming in."

Coran's screen suddenly started beeping, as did the screen of each of the lions. A red triangle with an exclamation point kept blazing, and the siren wailing rang in their ears intensely.

"What's going on?" Hunk asked.

"Our lions have detected something!" Allura said. Before she even had a chance to say what, something from a distance came shooting towards them like a comet, only manifest itself instantly before them. A massive base, larger than any ship they had ever seen, manifested before their eyes, along with an entire fleet of ships hovering around it like bees around a hive. Coran recognized that gigantic base anywhere.

"It can't be! It's Zarkon's Central Command!"

Allura gasped at the sight, her hands trembling. From inside the ship, Zarkon watched on his screen the five lions, hovering before him, gazing at the ships like a bunch of frightened little cubs. Zarkon smiled maliciously. "I found you." he whispered to himself, his finger tips tingled with excitement. The lions were right there, ripe for the plucking.

Thace's eyes partly softened upon seeing the Black Lion. He knew who was in there, and it did not make this any easier.

A new face appeared on each of the team's computer screens, and automatically they froze on the spot. They have heard the stories, seen the images, and witnessed the consequences of his intergalactic conquest with their own eyes. They knew they would face him at some point, and that time had finally come. The paladins were now, face to face…

With Zarkon himself.

"Hello, little Paladins. I wish to thank you for finding the lions for me. I've spent ten thousand years searching for those majestic beasts, and you manage to find and bond with them in the span of a week. It is a shame to have to eradicate such talented young pilots…almost." Allura clenched her grip on the controls, while Keith tried his hardest not to slam his fist right into the control panel. "Surrender my lions now, or face oblivion."

"These lions don't belong to you!" Keith said fiercely. His anger started to boil upon seeing Zarkon's sly grin.

"Very well. Then prepare to die, young Galra." he said right before he disappeared. Keith gasped in horror. How did Zarkon know about that? Did the word get out when he was discovered back on Olkarion?

"What do we do? What do we do?!" Hunk asked frantically, his face appearing on the left side of Keith's screen, his eyes wide and his entire body trembled.

"Uh, if there was ever a good time to form Voltron, it would be now!" Lance exclaimed frantically.

"I'm not ready! I don't know what to do!" Hunk was having an episode, Lance was frozen in place, Pidge was uncertain, and Allura was already calculating on what they could do, but at the same time felt the nerves overwhelm her, not because they faced another Galra threat, but because they finally had all five lions, and yet they had no idea how to form Voltron and were now face to face with the worst Galra in the history of the universe.

"Everybody, calm down!" Keith yelled at the top of his lungs. Hunk stopped his heavy breathing and Lance took in slow deep ones to try and ease himself. Keith inhaled and exhaled slowly. "Patience yields focus." he whispered to himself. Keith closed his eyes for a few seconds, and once he reopened them, a spark of determination ignited within gym. "Alright, I know this looks bad, but we can do this. We've all faced the Galra before, and so long as we stick together we'll beat them again. This is what we've been working for. Our chance to finally put an end to Zarkon. Are you with me?"

Each of the paladins nodded their heads in agreement. Hunk blinked. "I'm nodding, is everybody else nodding?"

"Yes!" Everybody else answered, disgruntled.

"Let's do it!"

The entire Galra fleet started shooting their lasers at the group. The lions, and Coran's ship dispersed, not wasting another second and unleashed their beams at the ships. One by one, the lions opened their mouths, unleashing several blue beams, which manifested into the same shield as it did back on the Balmara. The paladins from inside struggled to keep themselves balanced and their lions were pushed back a bit in the process. The lions roared ferociously and the shield expanded before spiraling towards the incoming fleet, causing them to explode in a fiery inferno.

Coran activated his particle barrier and began shooting all of his lasers, merged together into one ion ray. "Coran attack! I've waited a long time to do this again!"

The lions activated their respected weapons, Lance's sonic cannon, Allura's rail gun and the jaw blade, Pidge's green cannon and Hunk activated a cannon on his lion's back. Keith was still using normal beams, however his lions showcased a screen before him, revealing that, just like Allura, he could possessed a jaw blade. Smiling in satisfaction, Keith activated said ability and the Black Lion came swooping down like a torpedo, slicing the incoming ships in a single row, as did Allura, along with using her rail gun at another incoming row.

Hunk and Pidge shot their respected attacks, with several ships exploding due to Hunk's cannon, and Pidge's roots which grew and crushed the ships. Lance activated his ice beam, freezing the next incoming fleet, and Allura melted another row that came at her. The lions shot lasers from their tails, simultaneously with their own attacks. In short, the paladins were using all of their powers at their disposal, but no matter how hard they tried, the fleets just kept on coming. More and more appeared from Zarkon's central command, increasing in numbers to the point where now an assortment of lasers were enough to knock a lion off his or her balance, only to regain it quickly. Hunk's was the least effected, but the more lasers that came at them, the more he started to feel the impact.

To make matters worse, now even actual Galra ships began to emerge, unleashing their ion cannons at the team.

"There is just no end to these guys!" Hunk exclaimed, narrowly missing an incoming blast. Allura aimed her rail gun at the ion cannons that one of the ships, and flew around the ship, shooting her beam, which caused it to explode.

From inside the ship, Zarkon turned to Thace. "Scramble the fighters."

"Yes…my lord." Thace replied hesitantly, almost as if he had a lump in his throat. His finger lingered over the screen for a few short seconds before tapping it. Lasers shot in every direction, and the lions and the single ship still struggled to keep on fighting back.

Pidge got shot from her side and was sent flying off. From inside, she screamed in terror.

"Pidge!" Allura cried out and hurried to grab the green lion with her lion's paws, regaining balance for her so Pidge could fly once more.

The green paladin breathed a sigh of relief, her heart pounding and her hands vibrating. "Thanks, Allura."

"No problem."

Lance nearly got hit by one of the ion cannon blasts, "Okay, now is as good a time as ever to form Voltron! Keith, any ideas?"

"I'm a bit busy right now!" Keith called out, having his lion aiming its powerful beam to one of the ships, creating a neon blue crack in its wave before it exploded. He had to admit, this lion's abilities were strong. But, no matter how much they fought, and no matter how many times they managed to defeat a few, more and more ships, large and small, came at them from the command center. The team wouldn't be able to keep this up for long. The ships would only increase in numbers and pretty soon they would all be done for.

"Guys, we have to get out of here! There's no way we can keep fighting these guys!"

Allura grunted as she dodged another incoming attack. "Keith is right! Coran, we need to fall back!"

"Be right there, Princess!" Coran called out, right before blasting another row of smaller ships before flying towards the lions. "Everyone hop in!" he called out, but was stopped when the Black Lion was suddenly thrown off course by a medium sized Galra ship, one larger than the droids, but smaller than the military ones.

Everyone called out their friend's name. Inside, Keith groaned, his vision adjusting to see who it was that had knocked him off course. The image of a familiar Galra appeared on screen.

"You! You're one of the Galra from Olkarion!"

"Surrender the lion, boy, and you and your companions will not get hurt." he said demandingly.

"I don't take orders from you!" Keith exclaimed in righteous furry and unleashed a beam at the ship. Fueled with anger, Keith drove all of his attention to this one Galra. Something about him ignited a sense of hatred within him. Memories of what he could have done back on Olkarion flashed before his eyes. He was done with everyone believing he was no better than any of the other Galra. He never had a chance to personally take one down before, and this was something he desired greatly. To finally be rid of that overarching plague that was his Galra half. This way, he would know for certain he was not one of them.

The Galra shot his lasers at the Black Lion, who effortlessly maneuvered them and shot more of his beams at him. Keith activated his jaw blade and went after the ship. Thace quickly flew out of the way, showcasing his magnificent piloting skills.

"What is he doing?" Hunk asked, seeing Keith drawing so much attention to this one ship, while everyone else was trying to leave. The lions refused to return to the ship without Keith.

"Keith, we've got to go!" Lance called out. His voice went deff in Keith's ears and continued blasting at the ship, not once holding back.

The fight continued for a while, with Keith flying after the ship. "Get back here!" he called out, unleashing more and more beams, which Thace maneuvered, allowing for several other Galra ships to be hit in the process. Thace shot a few lasers at the lion, but Keith maneuvered them as easily as Thace maneuvered Keith's attacks.

"Surrender the lion!" Thace ordered, "Do it now!"

" _Never!_ " Keith shouted, his voice reminiscent of that of the ferocious growl of an angry lion and shot both the lasers from his lion's mouth and tail directly at the ship, breaking apart one of its wings and it landed onto the surface of the metal floating circle that surrounded the base. Thace groaned from inside the ship, seeing the Black Lion floating before it.

From inside, Zarkon and Haggar noticed the reacher defensive way Thace was fighting this paladin. "Just as I suspected." the witch said. "Thace's loyalty to the empire has wavered. My Lord, was there even a purpose for you to send him to fight the boy?"

"Indeed, Haggar. Now that I know for certain where Thace's loyalties lie, the best form of punishment for him will be to watch me end the boy myself before his eyes."

Zarkon approached a catwalk, removed his large regal cape and the floor beneath him opened. He exited the command center, using his rocket boots to boost him towards where Thace's ship was. Thace spotted this and his eyes widened in surprise. "Emperor Zarkon, what are you doing?!"

"Demonstrating the what happens to those who turn on me. If you will not finish the boy, I will do it myself."

Keith spotted the strange Galra a few feet away from him, immediately recognizing it as Zarkon. Upon seeing this, Coran called out to the other lions. "Guys, get out of there, now! Zarkon is too powerful!"

Keith felt his muscles burn like fire, his eyes dead lock on the Galra leader like a predator to its prey. His fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white. This was the creature who caused all the suffering in the universe for decades. It was because of him so many lives were lost. Families torn apart. Because of him, his mother was abducted and taken advantage of, and Keith was forever forced to live with this curse of always battling with the monster that slandered deep within himself. If Zarkon was gone, then his entire empire would crumble at the seems. The Galra would be powerless, and the universe would be free. Best of all, Keith could finally be rid of the monster inside. The root of it all.

His mind was locked on one setting and one setting alone, with little to no room for negotiation or thinking back. To defeat Zarkon at any cost.

"This is my chance to put an end to the Galra empire!" Keith's voice rose in volume, with traces of a growl or roar sprinkled within his words. "I have to take it!"

Zarkon stood in place, and the Black Lion came at him at full speed. From the red lion, Allura tried to call out to him. "Keith, don't!"

But Keith did not listen, and instead shot his beam at Zarkon, striking the surface of the base before it aimed at Zarkon. Smoke clouded the figure, and once it cleared, Zarkon had protected himself with a Galra styled purple glowing shield form his hand, which disappeared in a patch of purple particles. He stood upright, staring directly at the paladin inside the lion.

"You may have the Black Lion, but compared to me, its power is weak. Especially in your hands." a purple glow appeared in Zarkon's palm and a purple sword, made up entirely out of purple quintessence manifested in his hand. With a single swing, he unleashed a powerful blast directly at the Black Lion, striking its chest and Keith struggled to regain momentum. He successfully managed, his lion growling in unison with Keith's rush of anger.

"You may have escaped me once, but I will finish what your father never could." Zarkon said, though Keith did not hear him due to the distance.

"We can't leave without Keith!" Pidge exclaimed. The other paladins silently agreed and flew off to try and help him, while trying to fight the rest of the Galra fleet in the process. The Black Lion shot another beam at Zarkon, which he easily deflected with his shield, which took shape right out of the form of the sword. The lion landed onto the surface of the base with crushing force, its back hunched over in a threatening manner, facing the Galra leader, who wielded his sword. Keith charged forward, aiming his beams. Zarkon activated his boosted rockets on the back of his boots and maneuvered each impact, which caused a small explosion on every part of the surface Keith managed to strike. Zarkon sliced at the lion, which even Keith could feel from inside. Zarkon slid to a halt and the lion was tossed over his head like a sack of potatoes. The energy once again manifested into another weapon, wielded by Zarkon, and Keith jumped right out of the impact.

Keith heard Zarkon laughing from inside his cockpit. "You fight like a Galra soldier. Probably as well as any I have seen."

Keith growled in anger. " _Shut up! I'm not one of you!_ "

"You may look human on the outside, but I now see you had the potential in you all along. Perhaps I could spare you, if you submit yourself to my reign."

Keith's eyes became psychotic and once again charged at Zarkon, who unleashed another beam, which narrowly missed the lions, who were on their way to help Keith. Seeing this only angered the young black paladin all the more. " _Leave them alone!_ " he ordered fiercely and shot another beam.

Zarkon flew away and aimed his sword, unleashing another blast, which Keith escaped from, which as a result strike the side of the base. The Galra workers inside held onto their control panels to keep balance.

"Keith, hang on!" Lance called out, but was stopped when Keith's voice boomed in a way he had never heard before.

" _Stay out of this, Lance!_ " Keith shouted. Lance, Hunk, Pidge and Allura all froze for a moment, stunned by the sudden change in Keith's voice. It was as if the sound of a rabid wild animal had somehow reached its way into Keith's mind, taking over his instincts.

"What? Keith, what are you-"

" _I said, stay out of it!_ " Keith did not listen and only charged head first towards Zarkon, who changed his weapon, yet again, into a large glowing chain-like whip, which swung at the lion. Keith flew off, only but the chain was close to grabbing him.

"Keith, look out!" Pidge called out, jumping into the line of fire, being grabbed by the chain instead and thrown to the ground. She screamed in terror as she came crashing down, and was knocked out as a result. Her lion as well was now out of commission, and seeing this was enough for Keith to snap out of his blind rampage and realize what he had done.

"Pidge!" Keith hurried the green lion, standing before it protectively from Zarkon. His anger slowly started to return once more, and Zarkon was ready to aim fire, until a large powerful converged beam blasted him away. The lions all surrounded the Black Lion, who then carried the green lion in its mouth, like a mother carrying her cub. The lions hurried back to Coran's ship and made their way out of the scene, narrowly avoiding the incoming lasers.

From inside the command center, Thace approached one of their robot soldiers and immediately beheaded it with his Galra blade. Entering the control room, he instead aimed the lasers of the base towards the ships that aimed at Coran's ship, giving them the chance to escape. The paladins rushed out of their lions, with Keith immediately checking for Pidge, who was knocked out cold.

"Pidge!" Keith carried the young girl out of the green lion, bridal style and Allura rushed towards him.

"Keith, the heart!"

Without a second to spare, Keith handed Allura the heart and she immediately activated a wormhole. Seeing it, Coran flew right into it and into the other side.

Zarkon groaned as he arose to his feet, seeing half of his smaller ships destroyed, their pieces floating about in space, while the lions had disappeared. He growled in anger and returned back to the base.

He knew exactly who was to blame for this.

(~)

Coran's ship exited through the wormhole, landing on a rock-like dead planet where he landed safely. From inside the hanger, everyone gathered around Pidge, who slowly fluttered her eyes open. She groaned and staggered to stand back up.

"Pidge, are you alright?" Allura asked with deep concern. Pidge nodded her head, giving her a weak smile. The princess immediately wrapped her arms around the fourteen-year-old, sighing in relief. Pidge returned the embrace. Hugging Allura was almost akin to hugging her own mother, or older cousins.

While everyone else gathered around Pidge, Keith kept his distance. The scene replayed in his mind over and over again with no apparent end in sight. Pidge was almost killed, and all because he tried to face Zarkon all by himself. Strategically speaking, it was not a wise move, not one bit. But, that burning anger, that unwavering ambition…it clouded his mind. It took over. It was like he finally gave into his original nature. Who was he kidding? This wasn't the first time. It happened once with Rolo, and several other times in the past where he lost it. Only now, he went full blown Galra soldier on Zarkon. Even he himself praised Keith for fighting just like one. He had tried so hard to escape this monster, and now it nearly cost his best friend's life.

Everyone turned to face Keith, unsure about what to say next. Coran stepped forward, narrowing his eyes at the young man. "I told you it was dangerous. You should't have tried to face Zarkon on your own!"

Keith hung his head in regret. "I…I thought I could do it."

"What about the rest of us?" Lance asked, "Why did you shut us out?"

"I didn't want any of you to get hurt."

"Keith, you said so yourself, we're a team. But, you just flew right off the handle, what happened?"

"I lost it." Keith confessed. "I was so dead set on defeating Zarkon that I…I lost control."

"You lost control of your Galra impulses." Coran concluded, his voice uncharacteristically cold and distant.

"I'm sorry. I was only trying o be rid of that monster!" Keith took a step back when the blue, red and yellow lions growled in a calm threat. They had never reacted to him like that before.

Lance heard his lion's words and narrowed his eyes. "Did you really think getting rid of Zarkon would fix you?" he asked, taking a tentative step forward.

Keith didn't say a word. He now knew what the lions were saying. Keith's ambition to eliminate Zarkon, and even that previous Galra from before, was all a symbolic way for him to be rid of hid Galra half. The half he hated and feared so much. And now, today, those fears were realized. Because of his actions, Pidge could have been killed.

Lance shook his head. "Unbelievable. After everything you've done, after everything we've said, you're still throwing a pity party for yourself!"

Keith finally dared to look at Lance in the eye. "You think I like this?! You think I asked to be this way?! I've tried for years to get this monster under control, so I never hurt anyone I care about! And now look!" he turned to Allura, who only gave him a look of concern. "This is exactly why I knew I couldn't be a leader! First day on the job and Pidge almost dies! What does that say about me?!" he paused before finishing. "Face it. No matter how much you all believe in me, at the core…I'm no better than Zarkon."

Nobody said a word. Keith only turned away and walked out of the hanger, out of the ship. Allura followed him out. "You're nothing like Zarkon!" he called out, "He doesn't care about anyone, but you do! We're here because the heart choose all of us to form Voltron!"

"No, we're here because I tried to honor my brother's dying wish!" Keith turned around, yelling at the princess. "But then some stone said I was something special and I was an idiot to believe it."

Keith was ready to make his leave, but was stopped when Allura grabbed him by the arm. Her blue eyes staring fiercely into his own. "You can't abandon this team, do you hear me?!"

"Allura-"

"You can't run away from this!"

"Allura, I mean it-"

"The Black Lion choose _you!_ "

" _Enough!_ " in a fit of rage, Keith grabbed Allura's wrist, which didn't really harm her due to her strength. Instead, she only stared at Keith in shock. Effortlessly, she removed her wrist from his grip and Keith stepped back once more.

"It choose wrong." he finally said. "So did you."

Before Allura could mutter a word, Keith ran away from the group. Balto howled at Keith, begging him to return, but he just kept on running. Everyone else tried calling out to him, but their cried went deff in Keith's ears. He couldn't bare to look back. That fight was the final nail in the coffin for him. All of the pent up rage, impulses and desires all spewed upwards like a powerful geyser. There was no changing it this time. No hiding or dismissing it. This was the truth.

He was a Galra. He was a monster. He was everything Zarkon said he was…just because he didn't want to see it, didn't mean it wasn't there.

Devastatingly for him…it was.

(~)

Keith ran as fast as his legs could take him, wiping away the tears that spilled from his eyes, making it harder for him to look where he was going. He didn't stop, however. He kept going. It didn't take long for him to trip over a crack on the ground. He lost his balance, yelled and cried out in pain as he was tumbled down a cliff. He rolled to a stop. the dust rising upwards, entering his lungs. He coughed as he stood upwards, not even bothering to clean off his cloths. His jacket had been torn as a result. Angrily, he yanked the fabric off of him, ripping it to pieces in a frantic rage. His tears blinded him to where he was throwing away the pieces of the jacket and he didn't care. Keith yelled in anger, not caring who heard him, or if anyone even bothered to care. What remained of the jacket fell around him and Keith let the dam break.

He closed his eyes shut and got down on his hands, gripping the hard ground of the large crater he had fallen into. The stones were hard against his skin, but he payed no mind. No small cut could compare to the pain he felt within. The winds picked up, the dust and pebbles swarmed around him and the ground shook softly. A large presence loomed over him and Keith adjusted himself, though he was still partly hunched over, his head hung and his hands resting on his knees, which were still pressed to the ground. His dark bangs hung over his eyes.

"Why did you bring me here?" he asked, revealing the heart of Voltron in his palm. He willed himself to look up, traces of hair sticking to his face due to the tears. He looked into the golden eyes of the black lion, who stood before him, silent like a mouse as the winds hushed in his ears.

Extending his hand forward, Keith offered the heart back to the majestic beast. "Shiro was wrong. I'm not the right person." he said. The lion's head slowly closed in, looking at the heart. It gave a sad growl, refusing to take the heart.

"You have to choose someone else to be your paladin." Keith told him, his voice slowly growing more forcibly. When the lion still refused, Keith rose his tone to the point where it almost created an echo effect. "Choose someone _else!_ " the tears returned and his voice lowered, resembling that of a frightened child.

"Please…"

The lion rested its stomach onto the ground, its gaze still on Keith. Its head lowered and, right then and there, its eyes shut off. Keith couldn't hear its soft purring. He was now, completely, and utterly alone. He got down on his hands again and continued to weep. There was no point in continuing on. No point in going back. Nowhere left to go.

The sound of gears caught his attention and the lion's mouth automatically opened. Keith cocked his head in confusion. The lion had shut off, why did it suddenly invite him in. Keith dejectedly got himself back up. His pants covered in dust, and almost the rest of his cloths. Without his jacket, all he had left now was a black shirt, pants and gloves. He took on hesitant step forward before fully entering the lion. The cockpit was entirely off. Even when he sat on the chair, nothing happened. Just as he was about to school himself on how pointless this was, the screen before him switched on. Only, instead of seeing the crater outside like he was supposed to, he was nothing but a screen of space.

"What…what is this?" he asked in a faint whisper. Echoes of child-like laughter echoed through the walls of the lion. The screen closed in on a single planet. One with lush green fields and beautiful streams. A small house rested on a mountain top, surrounded by beautiful flowers Keith had never seen before. The house door opened to reveal a handsome man with a strong physique, dark blue eyes and black messy hair. A single scar ran across his left brow. Keith gasped. He knew this man.

"Dad?"

The man laughed as his wife played in the yard with their two-year-old son. He resembled is father greatly, but had his mother's nose and eye shape. The woman was tall, athletic looking with long curly hair as black as a raven's wing. Her eyes were a bright green color and her lips were as red as rose petals and medium toned skin. Keith felt he would cry once again.

"Mom…Shiro."

There was no mistaking it. This was his family. His older brother when he was only a toddler, and his parents when they were alive and healthy.

"Now I get it. This is their life. From before they moved to Altea." Keith said. "But, why are you showing me this?"

The joyful, innocent atmosphere of the scenery immediately shifted. The winds picked up and young Shiro started to cry. His mother tried desperately to calm him down as the father wrapped his arms protectively around them. A shadow loomed over them. A Galra ship had invaded their humble home. The ship descended near the house, and Galra droids exited, aiming their laser guns at the couple and their infant son. The father pulled out his own laser gun, but was immediately shot down by one of the lasers. It strike his hand and he fell to the ground, crying out in pain while gripping his right hand. The droids forcibly took Shiro away from his mother. Keith's heart broke as he listened to young Shiro calling out desperately for his mother.

Keith and Shiro's mother screamed, desperately demanding they release her. She tried to hit the robots but they proved to be too strong and dragged her away from her family, all the while the other droids held her husband back. They pushed him back and he tumbled to the ground. Shiro continued crying out, "Mommy! Mommy!" all the while his mother tried desperately to reach out to him. Tears spilled from her eyes and reached out to grab her family. Father and son watched with heavy hearts as the Galra ship flew off into the sky and into space.

Keith's mother was forced to her knees, her wrists cuffed, now wearing what appeared to be a long strapless black dress, cut on both sides, exposing her legs. She couldn't stop crying the entire time. One by one, more and more alien females from various other planets, all wearing the same outfit, were forced before Zarkon, who stood beside a younger looking Galra in his prime.

"As a reward for all your services, Thace, and for conquering so many worlds in my name in no less than a year, I present to you a gift. Pick any one of these slaves to do as you wish."

Keith's grip tightened on the controls. His jaw clenched and his eyes narrowed in disgust. On the screen, his mother gasped, praying she would not be chosen. Unfortunately, the young Galra approached only her. He lifted up her chin and gave her lustful smile.

"This one. She will be perfect."

The woman forcibly shook her head away, growling in anger. "Get your hands away from me, _you monster!_ "

The young Galra rose up, laughing. "Yes. She will do nicely."

Zarkon chuckled as well. "As you wish." he said before turning to the rest of the guards. "Take these rejects back to their home planets. We shall have no more use for them now."

Keith's mother screamed, constantly shooting, " _No! No! No! No!_ " as she was grabbed by the young Galra and taken away. Keith hung his head and looked away. He knew what would come next, and he did not wish to see anymore.

"Stop it! _Make it stop!_ " he ordered the lion. The screaming ceased and the next image revealed Keith's mother in a cell. Her hair was a tangled mess. Rather than the skimpy black dress, she now wore ragged purple clothing, and long back pants. She was completely barefoot and trembling all over, crying for what seemed like hours. It would seem she would never run out of tears to shed. She hugged her stomach rather tightly. Once she removed her hands, Keith felt as if a knife had pierced right through him.

She was pregnant…with Keith.

The next scene nearly cause Keith to jump in alarm. He heard his mother screaming in pain, but it ended quickly, only for the sound of a crying infant to be heard. Keith felt a mixture of regret as well as a slight feeling of joy as his mother held the newborn infant in her arms. Most of his body resembled that of a human, minus his arms. She was in a Galra hospital bed, but for the first time, she was crying tears of joy. She kissed the baby's forehead and he cooed with delight. Unfortunately, the moment was cut short when it showed Zarkon yelling at the young Galra, who was without question the father of the child.

"This is an outrage! One of my best Galra soldiers produces and heir to his legacy, and he turns out to be a weakling human!"

"I assure you, I did not intend for this to happy, Emperor." said the young Galra. "I did not plan for the human to give birth."

"It may have been a mistake, but I had hoped we could add more young Galra to our army. What good is one who isn't even full Galra?!" Zarkon sighed and turned away. "Kill them."

"What?" the younger Galra gasped.

"You've had your fun with her, now that she had produced an abomination you have no use for her or the child."

"Emperor, it's…he's my son!"

"Are you implying you care for this…this thing?!"

"Would you kill your own son?"

"If my son were as much the half-ling as yours, I would have no qualms over eliminating it. Unless, you are refusing to obey my order. Remember the fate that awaits you if you defy me."

The young Galra hung his head in shame. "It shall be done."

Keith…didn't know how to feel about this. For the very first time, he was looking at the face of his biological father. A father he had despised for so many years, and he…he was actually showing sympathy towards his own son? But, what about all the horrible things his mother told him about his Galra father? She always remembered him as a monster. Nothing more and nothing less.

The woman held her son close, unwilling to let anyone take him away from her. The young Galra walked by her cell, and she held her son protectively. Baby Keith actually smiled when his father appeared The Galra was hesitant to smile, but present day Keith definitely caught the glimpse of happiness in his father's eyes. Sadly, his mother did not share the same sentiment. She stared at him with cold eyes and he walked right on by. Tomorrow, they would both be executed.

That night, while Keith's mother rocked her child to sleep, she gasped upon seeing one of the robot soldiers fall, his limps being ripped apart. A hooded figure, with a gray alien face appeared before her.

"Hurry, we have to go!" he said.

"Who are you? Why are you helping me?"

"There's no time, please hurry!"

Keith's mother bundled her child as best she could and followed the gray alien to one of the escape pods. "You go first."

"What about you?"

"Don't worry about me. You and your child leave as far as you can. I'll see to it the others are freed as well. If you don't leave, they will eliminate you and your baby."

The woman smiled and hugged the gray alien. "Thank you. I don't know how I'll ever be able to repay you."

"There is no need." he said with a soft smile before handing her one of the Galra blades. "I stole this from one of them. Keep it with you. It may serve of use one day."

The woman nodded in agreement and entered the pod with Keith in her arms. The gray alien opened the hanger, allowing for both mother and son to escape without anyone knowing. The gray alien watched as the pod left and his face distorted, turning black, revealing it to have been a holographic helmet. Once he removed it, the face was that of a Galra.

Keith's father.

The young man was paralyzed. He couldn't will himself to move. The scene was frozen in that one moment where Keith saw the compassion and, dare he say it, love in the Galra's yellow eyes. He finally found some motion in order to hang his head in regret.

"All this time…he…he was the one…who saved us." Keith whispered, unable to say the entire sentence in one go. It was no wonder his mother never saw his biological father as anything other than a monster. He had masked himself so that he may help her. But, why?

The scene shifted to where the Galra stood beside Zarkon, watching as a pod, similar to the one where Keith and his mother escaped on, exploded before their eyes. Keith knew this one was a decoy, one to make Zarkon believe they had been killed. His father fabricated their death so that he wouldn't go searching for them.

The scenery around Keith started to change, his chair, the control panels, the cockpit, it all disappeared, revealing only a space-like astral plane. The purple coloring illuminated off of Keith's skin, and clothing. Outlines began forming various objects around Keith, which manifested into solid material, as well as the wooden walls of a familiar shack, similar to that from his vision back at the trials of Marmora. Unlike before, which had a bright yellow glow, this one was serene with blue and white hues.

"You're a long way from home." said a voice from behind Keith. A voice that was clear and crisp. He spun around, only to come face to face with an iridescent and somewhat transparent human being. The outlines of his body were somewhat blurry, but still solid enough to make out his broad shape. While his normal coloring was present, it was tainted with a transparent covering of blue colors. He smiled at the young paladin, and a tear rolled down from Keith's eye.

"Shiro?"

"I told you. There is nowhere you could go that I won't be with you."

"Shiro!" Keith ran up to the spirit of his deceased brother, crying into his arms. Even though he was a ghost, he could still hug Keith just as well as he could when he was alive. Keith couldn't control the tears that spilled from his eyes, and he didn't even try to stop. He had tried to put up a tough front for a long time, and now he was safe to feel vulnerable.

"How is this possible?" he asked. "He…he saved us. Why?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Shiro looked at Keith in the eye, wiping away some of his tears. "He did it because he loved you."

"But, why didn't he let mom know what he did?"

"Because he knew mom hatted him. He couldn't help her so long as she knew who he was. And, I think he felt ashamed to even show his face around you after what happened."

Keith was silent, wrapping his head around all of this new information. Everything he ever knew about his father was entirely wrong. His mother never got to know what he did after that, and lived her entire life thinking all Galra were evil.

"Allura was right." Keith said, wiping the tears from his eyes. "There really are good Galra out there."

Shiro sighed and shook his head with a soft smile. "Oh, Keith, Keith, Keith. You still don't get it do you?" the younger brother cocked his head curiously. "True, your Galra side can be impulsive and aggressive, but that doesn't mean you can't control it."

"I've tried for years! But, not matter how hard I tried, I could always feel that…that side of me just itching to come out!"

"Because you lived your entire life afraid of that side." Shiro said, making Keith's eyes widened in realization. "You've always been scared of turning into something you're not. That fear is what prevented you from fully understanding your heritage. But, you can't blame yourself. Zarkon made everyone fear and hate the Galra, and mom was no exception." Shiro placed a comforting hand on Keith's shoulder. "It's not about what's in your blood, it's who you are that counts."

"That's exactly what Allura said."

"Well, she's a very smart girl." Shiro winked, making Keith chuckle lightly. "And she's right."

"But…I don't even know who I am. I thought I did, but…I haven't got a clue."

"Well, I know who you are. You're Keith. You're my brother. You're a spirited, good-hearted, determined and clever young man. You can be hot headed and reckless at times, but you're also quick to apologize. You're also the most loyal friend anyone could ask for. You're human, but you're also Galra in blood, but you're not a "Galra" in spirit."

Keith was a bit confused by what Shiro meant, but the answer came to him as quickly as a lightning bolt. Shiro wasn't referring to his actual Galra genetics, he was referring to what the entire Galra side of him meant. The side Keith feared he would become if things went out of hand.

"But most of all…you are a Paladin of Voltron."

Keith hung his head in shame. "But, I messed up. Pidge almost got hurt because of me! I let my anger and fear get the better of me."

"Well, if you're aware of the mistake…go fix it."

"How? How will I know if they'll even speak to me again?"

Shiro wrapped his arm around his brother, leading him around the shack. "You know, little brother. We live our entire lives with people constantly telling us who we should be, what we shouldn't. What we should accept, what we shouldn't, heck, even our own voices can lead us astray, just as yours did with your fears. There is a benefit to being, well, where I am now. It's that no matter how many voices are out there…there is only one that will always, _always_ , tell you the truth."

Shiro stepped in front of the wall, where all the pictures of Keith's childhood seemed to come to life before his eyes. Pictures of when Keith and Shiro were young, and played in the yard. Shiro would teach Keith how to properly prepare a toy rocket, or play catch, even during school evens. One in particular, Keith remembered when he was young, at a school picnic. One of the kids threw sand at Keith, calling him "Galra trash". Keith wanted to fight back, but was scared of hurting somebody and being revealed to be exactly what the boy accused him of. The present Keith felt his heart sink at the memory. All the while Shiro started to sing. Strange, Shiro never sang before, but when he did it sounded almost as if his voice was being strung along by angels. Soft tempo music filled the air as well. The sounds soothed Keith's heavy burden.

 _Oh, what I would do to have_

 _The kind of faith it takes to climb out of this boat I'm in_

 _Onto the crashing waves_

 _To step out of my comfort zone_

 _Into the realm of the unknown_

 _Where Lions sing_

 _And He's calling out to me_

 _But the waves are calling out my name and they laugh at me_

 _Reminding me of all the times_

 _I've tried before and failed_

 _And the waves, they keep on telling me_

 _Time and time again_

 _"Boy, you'll never win, you'll never win."_

Keith stares at the picture, and sees that moment when Shiro stepped in to defend Keith from the bullies and led him away. There, the older brother showed Keith the science experiments in Shiro's classroom, and he started telling him stories about the planets and all the places they would go to see one day. Coincidentally, one of those planets was Olkarion, and even Arus. Two places where Keith had been to, and helped save from the Galra alongside his friends. Even if Shiro wasn't physically there, his spirit still lived on even during Keith's moment's of doubts. And, in a way, it was manifested in the company of his best friends.

 _But the Voice of Truth_

 _Tells me a different story_

 _The Voice of Truth_

 _Says do not be afraid_

 _And the Voice of Truth_

 _Says, "This is for my glory"_

 _Out of all the voices calling out to me_

 _I will choose to listen and believe_

 _The Voice of Truth_

The shack's door opened and Keith stepped out, holding the white stone in his hands. Keith walked out in the astral plane, which as now blue as the ocean, with images floating all around. Images of Keith when he was young. All of his happy childhood moments, even the sad ones where he was cast aside. One image even depicted the moment he fought Rolo, and lost his chances of getting into the Garrison.

 _Oh, what I would do to have_

 _The kind of strength it takes to stand before a giant_

 _With just a sling and a stone_

 _Surrounded by the sound of a thousand warriors_

 _Shaking in their armor_

 _Wishing they'd have had the strength to stand_

 _But the giant's calling out my name and he laughs at me_

 _Reminding me of all the times_

 _I've tried before and failed_

 _The giant keeps on telling me_

 _Time and time again_

 _"Boy, you'll never win, you'll never win."_

He started seeing more images of when he and his friends faced the Galra, as well as all of the innocent lives he helped save. The scenes played out one by one, when the paladins each found their respected lions, the time they all sang around the campfire, and even the time Keith and Allura went flying that night on the red lion, and even that moment when he showed her the cave. All the times his friends had supported him, showed how much they trusted him. He loved them, that much was certain, and they all loved him, regardless of what he was. They only cared about who he was, and while Keith may not be entirely perfect, and have made mistakes, maybe that was what true friends were for. To show you that it's never hopeless or too late to change. His father did good when he saved Keith and his mother all those years ago, maybe if he had the friends Keith had he would have been a better Galra. Maybe that's why the heart chose Keith. Maybe, it saw somebody who could be a hero after all. Keith never had to be afraid after all. He was never meant to carry this burden alone. That's what Voltron represented. Five becoming one. No one lion could form Voltron alone. They were all needed together to do just that. They have all come so far by working together, and trusting the Heart, which seemed to know more than even they did.

 _But the Voice of Truth_

 _Tells me a different story_

 _The Voice of Truth_

 _Says do not be afraid_

 _And the Voice of Truth_

 _Says, "This is for my glory"_

 _Out of all the voices calling out to me_

 _I will choose to listen and believe_

 _The Voice of Truth_

As more, happier scenes played out, Keith felt an overwhelming feeling of joy and peace inside of him. A huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders as he sang the rest of the song, even though he had never heard it before. The words came out effortlessly for him.

 **Keith:**

 _But the stone was just the right size_

 _To put the giant on the ground_

 _And the waves they don't seem so high_

 _From on top of them looking down_

 _I will soar in the wings of eagles_

 _When I stop and listen to the sound of The Lion_

 _Singing over me!_

 _The Voice of Truth_

 _Tells me a different story_

 _The Voice of Truth_

 _Says do not be afraid_

 _And the Voice of Truth_

 _Says, "This is for my glory"_

 _Out of all the voices calling out to me_

 _(Calling out to me)_

 _I will choose to listen and believe_

 _(I will choose to listen and believe)_

 _I will choose to listen and believe…_

 _The Voice of Truth_

The atmosphere shifted, and all of the images merged together to create a vast and beautiful field, surrounded by his mother's favorite flowers and clear blue skies above him. Shiro's spirit still radiated with a bright glow, but Keith could see him perfectly. The two brothers embraced once more, Keith shedding tears of both joy and sadness. It was hard to say goodbye to Shiro again, but he knew he would always carry him in his heart, to always remind him that, come what may, he would never be alone. Keith watched as the scene shifted to reveal that he was still in the deserted planet, where the Black Lion was wide awake, purring affectionately.

 _I will listen and believe_

 _I will listen and believe the voice of truth_

Keith opened his fist, revealing the heart in his palm. The lion moved closer, and Keith pressed his forehead to its nose, thanking it for not abandoning him. With high spirits, Keith entered the lion and flew off.

 _I will listen and believe_

 _Oh, I will listen to you…_

 _Oh, you are…_

 _The Voice of Truth_

(~)

The other lions roared in alert once they saw the Black Lion above their heads. She landed and opened her mouth, allowing Keith to exit. Upon seeing his friends, Keith took in a deep breath and spoke from his heart.

"I know the words "I'm sorry" don't feel big enough. You were right, Lance. I was feeling sorry for myself, and scared of becoming something I wasn't. And, Allura, you were right too. It's not about what's in my DNA, but who I am as a person. Though, I can't say I'll never have these impulses again, but I think I'll have better luck at controlling them next time." he turn to Pidge and hung his head in regret. "I'm so sorry, Katie. I never meant to hurt you."

She simply smiled and hugged Keith's waist. "I'm just glad you're okay." she said, her voice cracking a bit, no doubt shedding some tears. Keith hugged her in return. He looked at Lance, Hunk and Coran. At first, they were hesitant, but one by one, they smiled. Lance offered Keith's hand, which he took and the two hugged it out.

"Good to have you back, _hermano._ "

Hunk surprised Keith with a bear hug, lifting him up from the ground. "We love you, buddy!"

"I love you guys, too."

Coran simply bowed his head in respect, and finally there was Allura. The princess didn't say a word and simply wrapped her arms around his neck. Keith didn't hesitate this time to wrap his arms around her waist, practically melting in her embrace.

"So, what do we do now?" Hunk asked right after Keith and Allura ended their embrace, though his hand still lingered around her waist, and her hand on his shoulder.

Keith knew that this was what the heart had chosen him for. To be a leader. He no longer had any doubts about himself. He know knew exactly what to do, and what to say. "Everybody, listen. I know you're all scared, I am too. But, we can't let fear lead our choices. We're more than just paladins. We're more than just a bunch of kids flying living robot lions. We're a team. We're a family. That's where Voltron's true power lies. Shiro, King Alfor, and all the Galaxy Guardians before us have fought for generations to ensure a better future for all of us. We are the last thing standing in the way of Zarkon's total universal domination. I'm not giving up that fight! Are you Hunk?"

The yellow paladin narrowed his eyes in determination, pulling his respected bayard out and extending it forward. "No!"

"Pidge?"

"Never!" said the green paladin fiercely. She pulled out her bayard and placed it in near Hunk's.

"Lance?"

The blue paladin only smirked. "Let's go down swinging!" he placed hi bayard near the others.

"Allura?"

"I'm all in." said the red paladin. Her blue eyes filled with a burning fire that matched the inferno spirit of her lion once she placed her bayard into the circle as well.

Keith, with his own bayard in hand, had all five together. From each bayard glowed and engulfed the five paladins in a shimmering light.

 _*(~)*_

 _ **2 Timothy 1:7~**_

 _"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind"_

 _*(~)*_

 **BTW, that song is form Casting Crowns, "Voice of Truth". It's really good, check it out!**


	15. Chapter 15

(~)

Thace cried out in pain after being thrown across the room for possibly the fiftieth time. He wasn't sure, for he had lost count halfway through the beatings. His left eye was swollen, and he could barely stand up, or even sit up straight. His clothing was torn and his body was lifted upwards into the air but Haggar's magic, nearly chocking him. All the while, Zarkon watched, rubbing his fists from all of the senseless beatings he had given Thace.

"You have made a grave mistake, Thace." said the Emperor. The Galra soldier screamed in pain when Zarkon stomped his foot in top of Thace's hand. He could feel the bones crushing underneath the weight. "The Galra empire has thrived all these years by crushing the weak and showing no mercy for the innocent. You have rebelled against my will."

"Why don't you just kill me already?" Thace hissed. "I believe I have suffered enough."

"Oh, no Thace. Death would be too quick and simple for you. The best punishment, I believe, would be for you to watch helplessly as I exterminate your offspring before your very eyes. No doubt the boy will come back here to try and fight me."

Once Zarkon removed his foot, Thace grunted and gripped his hand. His bones were still in tact, but the pain was undeniable. Haggar sensed a wave of powerful energy course through her.

"Sire, I sense the heart is near." she said. "The lions are coming."

Zarkon smiled maliciously. "Just as expected." he turned towards his soldiers. "Bind him. It's time for the main event." he turned towards the large window display of his throne room and, just as he predicted, the five lions were flying towards the base.

The Black, The Red, The Green, The Blue and The Yellow lions of Voltron were making their way towards Zarkon's Central Command. From inside each of the lions, the paladins now wore light black, full body under suits, topped by a stiffer segment of white armor, accented in places with each of the paladin's signature color, matching their lions and several neon blue outlines around. On their chests were matching V shaped symbols, and a similar design on their helmets, their visors covering their eyes, but leaving the lower half of their faces bare. For Allura and Pidge, their long hair extended from the back. These were the official suits of armor of the Paladins of Voltron.

Zarkon couldn't help but chuckle. "This is going to be far too easy." he said.

From inside the Black Lion, Keith heard his lions growling from inside. "You guys, ready?"

Everyone of the other paladins nodded in agreement. "Let's do this!"

At the same time, the team pushed their controls further, accelerating the speed of their lions towards Zarkon's base. Then, much to his shock, the lions began emitting vibrant glows, matching their respected colors. They roared in unison while flying in perfect synchronization. It was as if they were no longer five lions, but one being all together. Zarkon's eyes widened in realization.

From inside, Hunk spoke the words he found on the rock carvings back on Arus. " _Force of steal, strong as rocks of the earth, but strength of kindness is its worth._ "

Pidge was next, " _Though short and mere in stature, the forest protector is in its nature._ "

Lance smiled confidently as he said, " _River flows, water thrives, pushes away the doubt so to survive._ "

Allura felt the fire of her lion ignite within her. " _The small flame, from passion ignite, reveals the truth in the darkness of night._ "

Finally, with his friends by his side, Keith felt the true power of the lions coursing through him. For a brief moment, he saw his older brother smiling back at him and continued to say; " _Wisdom, courage and love have begun, when the eyes open…We are one!_ "

The lions roared even louder than before and flew up higher, creating a rainbow stream as they soared. Their bodies took shape, merging together as one. Each lion dismantled itself, several body parts either retracted back into its body or extended forward to link with another.

In a bright flash, Zarkon and Haggar shielded their eyes, temporarily blinded by the impact. This shimmering light felt like it was stinging their skin like acid. Once all had cleared, the Galra Emperor gasped in horror.

There stood a giant, made out entirely out of metal. His face was seen within a black helmet, shaped like the head of a lion. The Black Lion's wings outstretched from his back. The torso was mostly black, purple and silver, with a belt buckle in the shape of an V. It's right arm was colored red, with the Red Lion serving as its hand. The left arm was green colored, with the Green Lion as its hand. The right leg was blue, with the Blue Lion's head on its foot, and the left leg was yellow, with the Yellow lions as its foot as well. While Zarkon growled in anger, Thace smiled with pride, despite his weakened state.

Lance cheered loudly in victory. "Yeah! We did it!"

"We formed Voltron!" Pidge exclaimed with equal surprise and glee.

"Hey, everybody, look at me! I'm a leg!" Hunk called out, laughing with pride.

Allura laughed along as well. "This is incredible!"

Keith couldn't agree more. At long last, the legendary defender of the universe has finally returned. Resurrected from the ashes of its defeat, and ready to take on Zarkon.

"Alright, everybody. You know what to do. Form sword!"

Allura pushed her bayed into its place, and both hands of Voltron united together to magically manifest the sword. The giant robot solider charged forward. Zarkon ordered his men to send out the fighters, and just as before, ships large and small came out to attack, unleashing their laser and ion cannons.

The wings on Voltron's back retracted, forming a shield and the robot sliced the incoming ships with his sword in one swoop. The smilers ships exploded and Voltron landed onto one of the Galra military ships with crushing force, using the sword to slice all through the ship, causing it to explode. Voltron charged at another incoming ship, also destroying it by shooting right through with its massive size and hard surface, slicing the ships with its sword. The paladins pushed the ship towards another, and another, crushing all three at once.

"More trouble, straight ahead!" Lance called out, pointing at the many more military ships shooting at them.

"Form shoulder cannon!" Keith ordered.

Hunk pushed his bayard into place, creating the said cannon onto the left side of Voltron's shoulder. It shot a ray of assorted beams, intertwining and moving around like streams of water in various directions, but each one hit the ships on multiple locations all at the same time. The shoulder cannon disappeared in a patch of blue particles and the sword formed once more.

Hunk petted the dashboard and cooed, "Good boy, Yellow! That's my good boy!"

Voltron flew by the floating remains of the Galra ships, heading towards the base. With their shield, they deflected the lasers and used the sword to slice through the surface of the base. Inside, the Galra soldiers felt the base quake and crumble, bits of the ship falling all around them as they desperately tampered with their computers to try and send more attacks at Voltron. However, the power this metallic warrior possessed was unlike anything they had ever seen, or heard of. There was only one other thing that possessed a power like this, and it was in the hands of Zarkon under lock and key.

However, more and more ships came at them, and one by one, they used their respected weapons against them. Lance activated a laser that formed on Voltron's left arm, freezing various ships in place, and even part of Zarkon's base as a result. With the sword, they sliced and tore the ships and base apart.

Zarkon and Haggar struggled to keep their balance. The power of this warrior was far greater than even Zarkon had imagined. The Emperor turned to the witch.

"That's it! These idiots don't know what they're doing. I will face Voltron myself!"

"Sire, it has never been tested! It's far too dangerous!"

"I still have the beast at my disposal! I will be an even match for Voltron." Zarkon shoved the witch aside and retreated to another part of the base, struggling to keep his balance as more and more of his precious Central Command crumbled at the seems and all around him. Alarms flared and the doors slid open. Zarkon approached his workers, sneering. "Ready my armor!"

"But Lord, it is-" the poor solider never had a chance to finish his sentence when Zarkon threw him across the room. The other workers complied, their hands trembling as they tampered with the computers. Zarkon entered the cockpit of a massive weapon, using the purple quintessence he had required over the last ten thousand years and the cockpit closed. Tubes and metal surfaces locked together and Zarkon's weapon switched one, surrounding him in a bright purple glow.

The paladins ceased their attacks upon realizing that the Galra have stopped attacking back.

"Uh, did we win?" Hunk asked.

"Why have they stopped?" Allura asked. She had a gut feeling this wasn't as good a sign as she had hoped.

Keith shared the same sentiment. "I don't know. But I've got a bad feeling about this."

Lance's eyes widened in alarm. "Whoa. What's that?"

The center of the base glowed a bright purple before opening up. Something large, as large as Voltron itself, emerged. Its body was covered in hard, sharp looking metal with red, black and dark grey coloring and neon purple outlines. Its shoulders were broad and large in comparison to the lower half of its torso. But, the most menacing feature of all were the large wings on its back, divided into four glowing purple-like blades on opposite sides. Its head resembled Zarkon, and its eyes glowed with the same purple energy as the real deal.

The paladins stared in horror once the creature made its presence known. Keith narrowed his eyes. "It's Zarkon he hissed." once again, he felt the exact same feeling of anger and vengeance as the first time. However, he now knew better. These impulses were there, but they would no longer dominate his life. He was no longer afraid of them, and no longer in denial of their existence either. His own anger and fear was unimportant right now. He was with his friends, his team, his family, and they were Voltron. _That_ was what mattered now.

Keith opened his mouth to speak, but was stopped when Lance spoke first. "You don't even have to ask, _hermano_. We're ready. Right, guys?"

"Right!"

Keith smiled and nodded in thanks before smiling cockily at the large robot before them. The sword formed once more, at the same time Zarkon formed his and he charged at the team.

"Now, I will take back what is mine!" Zarkon yelled and strike Voltron in the chest. This only pushed the warrior back, and the paladins strained to keep their balance. Voltron quickly adjusted and the two robots engaged in an epic sword fight to the finish. Every time their blades hit, yellow shock waves emerged and the sound of clanging metal was heard. Zarkon managed to throw a punch, once again sending Voltron back, but they quickly regained momentum and flew off away from Zarkon, who chased after them. He began shooting multiple lasers, but Voltorn used its own ion lasers at their opponent, who dodged the incoming blasts.

"Alright, let's hit him with the big guns." said Keith, "Hunk, form shoulder cannon!"

Hunk complied and the cannon formed on Voltron's shoulder once again. At Keith's command, the cannon fired at Zarkon's robot. Zarkon's wings dispatched, forming a shield around him, blocking the cannon's effects.

"Okay, that didn't work." Hunk said in dismay, after Zarkon's robot retracted its wings back into place. he charged full speed and managed to kick Voltron in the stomach. The paladins screamed as they were being spiraled out of control, but the trusters on Voltron's back helped it regain balance. The battle continued with more blasts from the opposing forced. Their swords collided once more, this time with Zarkon gaining the upper hand. The team tried another blast, which was once again blocked by Zarkon's wing shield.

"We've never faced anything this powerful before!" Pidge said as they flew off from Zarkon, "We're evenly matched!"

Keith clenched his jaw, his eyes sharp and focused. "One way or another, this may be our last battle. We have to give it everything we have. Dig deep and fight!"

Voltron's wings increased in power and thrusted itself towards the Zarkon robot. The fight proceeded as it did when it first began. Beams of purple and blue came from all directions, sword clanging against one another, each impact more powerful and aggressive than the last. When the swords collided once more, a ring of purple and blue emitted from both blades.

Inside the base, the sound of painful roaring and screeching echoed through the hallways. Haggar ordered the soldiers to keep Thace secure while she left to investigate.

"This is my time to reclaim the lions and the heart!" Zarkon said, his purple eyes glowing. "Nothing can stop me, not even a pathetic half-Galra like yourself!"

Keith struggled to keep calm, but there was no denying the ambition that was coursing through him. He started doing some heavy breathing, until he remembered Shiro's words.

 _"You're human, but you're also Galra in blood, but you're not a "Galra" in spirit."_

Keith took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly. For once, he allowed the adrenaline to flow, and once he did, he suddenly sound himself more in control now more than ever. This ambition wasn't for selfish purposes, or out of fear, but for the benefit of his friends.

"I may be half-Galra…but I'm all Paladin. So are my friends!" Keith said with a proud smirk and the swords separated. Voltron attempted to attack once more, with each of the paladins screaming ferociously in tune with their respected lions and pierced the sword right through Zarkon's robotic left arm.

Zarkon then punched Voltron away, creating a glowing chain which strapped itself to Voltron's left shoulder. Purple energy coursed through the robotic warrior, and the paladins, who screamed in pain right before the impact forced everyone to split apart, back into lions. Zarkon retracted his chain and chuckled maliciously.

"You should have fled when you had the chance. Now, the time of the Voltron paladins is finished."

The others lions quickly awoke as did the paladins, who weren't entirely knocked out, but rather dazed. Allura shook her head, her silver hair having fallen over her shoulders as a result. She called out to their leader.

"Keith? Keith, can you hear me?" when he did not respond, Allura's tone became frantic and desperate. " _Keith!_ "

Unlike the others, Keith did wind up unconscious, sitting back on his chair, his head, leaning to his left, his expression tense and his lion did not move.

"Something's wrong with Keith." Allura concluded, just when it appeared Zarkon would strike again. She called out to her fellow paladins. "Everyone, we can't let Zarkon get the heart!"

The lions positioned themselves, protecting the now slumbering Black Lion just as Zarkon charged forward. Without Voltron, Zarkon believed he had a fighting chance. The lions hit Zarkon with everything they had. Allura with her own weapons, Lance with his, as did Hunk and Pidge. Each attack strike Zarkon head on, and while some were effective, others proved to be less so.

Allura's fire only managed to stun Zarkon for a brief moment and Lance's ice was immediately shattered after a short amount of time. Pidge's roots were broken to bits and Hunk's massive physical strength was no more than like swatting a fly for the massive Zarkon robot. Every time, the paladins screams and yelled in pain, but kept on going.

From inside, Keith's eyes twitched and started to open. He heard Allura shouting at everyone. "Come on! We can't give up!" Keith groaned and saw the battle from his screen. Each of the lions aimed their beams at him, but Zarkon quickly brushed them off. The beams didn't leave so much as a dent.

"I'm running out of strength, man!" Hunk exclaimed, and judging by his tone, he was indeed exhausted.

"Look out!" Lance cried out, knocking Pidge out of the way before Zarkon aimed his vain whip at her. Lance was hit as a result. His screaming echoed in Keith's ears, followed by Pidge's when she tried to once again strike Zarkon with her roots. No matter what they did, Zarkon's massive wings just blocked all of their attacks. If only there was some way to get rid of them.

Suddenly, as if somebody was hearing the words in his head, Keith saw the place where his bayard had been. The weapon was still in his hand and looking back and forth, he automatically knew what had to be done. Hearing the sounds of his friends desperately trying to protect one another only motivated him all the more. Keith's lion awoke and charged forward towards Zarkon's robot, who was still blasting and wiping his friends off of him.

The lion's roar echoed in Keith's ears and as his creature picked up speed, the young paladin pushed his Bayard into place. The Black Lion roared beautifully and the mechanical wings on its back began to shimmer like stardust, growing and expanding. The particles dispersed, revealing a pair of massive and breathtakingly beautiful wings. The surface of red and black, with white and the "feathers' were glowing neon blue blades that appeared as if they could cut through anything.

Keith charged at Zarkon, who aimed his sword, but Keith managed to somehow phase right through the robot, and out the other end, his lion's wings shimmering like a dream. All was silent for a moment, until the wings on Zarkon's back shattered like glass. The glowing purple remains floated all around him like fallen snow made out of crystal shards.

The other lions stared in awe. Keith panted, still recuperating from the adrenaline rush from just now. He held the bayard in his hand and smiled. "Thank you." he said. His lion purred with delight. She really was a joy to work with.

"Keith, are you okay?" Allura asked.

"I'm fine. Now let's form Voltron and finally put an end to Zarkon's reign!"

The lions roared ferociously and once again the paladins managed to create the legendary hero just like before. However, there was one major difference this time. Voltron had adopted the same wings as the Black Lion had not moments ago. The two robots collided several times, each time creating a powerful wave of light. Particles of blue and purple went everywhere and the two robots aimed for each other once more.

"This is our last chance." Keith said, pushing his controls forward. "Let's finish this!"

One by one, the paladins all pushed their controls forward, and the two robots collided once again. A blinding white light engulfed them before clearing. Once it did, Voltron's sword had pierced right through the robot's ribcage. Zarkon roared in anger and grabbed Voltron's head. The purple energy coursed through the robot warrior, in an attempt to separate them once again. Keith screamed through gritted teeth, until he noticed the heart of Voltron glowing on the side of his blade beside him. He boldly reached for it, grabbed the stone and automatically the lion opened a slot right in front of him, one that rose upwards, appearing almost like some kind of throne. Keith strained as he reached out and placed the stone in place. It emitted a bright white glow, which sent a shockwave all through Voltron. The purple energy stopped, and the sword suddenly ignited with a golden flame, which pierced even farther through Zarkon's robot. With all of their strength, the team pulled the sword out, swiftly right through the robot, which began to glow a powerful purple color. From inside, Zarkon screamed as his precious armor was being torn apart before his eyes and under his feet.

A blinding light, bigger than anything the team had ever seen, engulf both the robots, the base and everything within a hundred yards, destroying all remaining Galra ships as a result. Once it cleared, pieces of the robot flew all around, and the lions dispersed once more.

From inside, Thace stared in anticipation, hoping the pilots within the lions did not perish in the explosion. Lance awoke first, seeing the other lions awake one by one.

"Did we do it?" he asked, exhausted.

"Is it over?" Hunk asked.

Allura turned to see the Black Lion, once again, out cold. "Keith!"

Thankfully, she didn't have to wait long for a responce this time. "I'm here, Allura. I'm okay."

The princess and the rest of the paladins breathed a sigh of relief and gathered their lions together. Pidge noticed the floating Zarkon in space. "Is he…okay?" she dared to ask. It was indeed an odd question, considering they were just trying to defeat him.

Keith's lion approached him, and took notice of the way Zarkon floated in place, weak and powerless. The purple glow of his clothing had disappeared, and parts of his armor had torn off, revealing parts of his upper body, which were wrinkled and partly frail, in complete contrast to his more intimidating and muscular format from before. He looked like an sick, elderly man, no longer the monstrous threat to the Galaxy he had grown up hearing about. The other lions approached him as well, taking notice that he was indeed still breathing, despite there being no air in space, though Galra have been known to posses such an ability to breath in space, so it wasn't surprising. What did surprise them was how different Zarkon looked. His eyes opened weakly, no longer purple but of a normal yellow for a Galra. He tried to sneer at them, but found little strength to do so.

The team didn't think it was possible, but they were starting to feel kind of…sorry, for Zarkon. What exactly happened to him?

The Central Command started to shake, and rays of purple pierced through from inside. One half of the base broke into pieces, creating a large gapping hole. At the center, emerged a creature, surrounded by sparkling purple mist, massive claws with a skeletal proportion, eyes as black as tar, ears pointed and sickly looking, a jaw as big as the head of Voltorn, and massive skeletal wings emerged from its back, along with a long bony tail. The creature roared ferociously as it emerged from the base. On its back Haggar rode, while wearing a helmet to provide oxygen.

"What is that thing?!" Hunk exclaimed.

"I don't know!" Allura replied. She honestly didn't know. The creature was unlike anything she had ever seen. A hideous creature with a very sickly appearance, resembling a feline with a black coat, with patches of purple falling off at the seems, which merged with the cosmic purple dust that surrounded her four legs. Her tail whipped around, smashing one side of the base as a result. Saliva dripped from her jaw, making her appear all the more horrifying.

Haggar commanded the beast to charge forward. The creature opened its mouth, sending a blast of purple at the lions, sending them flying backward. Haggae quickly retrieved her injured ruler and sinked her beast at them heroes. She gripped the back of the creature's neck like the reins on a horse.

"Finish them!" she ordered.

The beast obeyed and charged at the mechanical lions, who flew out of the way. The creature wasn't as large as Voltron, but definitely bigger than the lions themselves. Lance had his lion open its mouth to unleash a beam at the creature, but to his surprise, nothing happened.

"Hey, what's going on! My lion's not working!" he cried out before quickly flying away from the creature's rays.

"Mine either!" Hunk exclaimed, desperately pushing his bayard in and out to no avail.

Keith tried as well, as did Allura and Pidge, but their attempts went in vain, because while their lions were still operational, they couldn't fight back. The three immediately dispersed and flew away as the beast continued to attack, at Haggar's command.

"Finish them! Now!"

From behind her, Zarkon groaned. "H-Haggar…what…what are you doing?"

"Your attempts to destroy the lions has proven vein." the witch replied. "When all this time, you could have done this!"

"No! Without her confined, I am powerless!"

"Not for long." the witch smirked, tugging harder on the creature's neck. She roared in agony and sent another blast at the lions, nearly knocking them out.

"How are we supposed to fight it?" Allura asked.

"I don't know." Keith replied. "We have to come up with something!"

Then, the Black Lion, and all the others began purring to their paladins. Their grips on the controls lessened and they stared wide eyed at the creature, who growled and hunched over, ready to attack again. The heart on Keith's dashboard blinked several times, before its glow stabilized. Keith's eyes widened at the realization.

"No way…"

The creature's mouth opened once more, ready to finish all five lions, who floated in a single row. The witch smiled with wicked glee, and even Zarkon managed to smile for a moment, despite the circumstances. However, just as the beam manifested in her mouth, it stopped and disappeared once the Black Lion opened its mouth, and Keith walked out, his helmet serving as an oxygen mask. In his hand, Keith held the Heart of Voltron, which emitted a powerful light that caught the creature's attention. Upon seeing it, Haggar panicked.

One by one, the other lions opened their mouths and each of the paladins exited, using the rockets on their backs to fly out, standing beside Keith, neither one flinching. Not even Hunk.

The creature stared in confusion, but when her eyes locked onto the stone in Keith's hand, she softened. Haggar screeched in anger and tugged on the beast's neck once more.

"Finish them! _Now!_ " Haggar's hand created a black orb, which stroke the creature's neck. She roared in pain and charged at the team.

The paladins showed no signs of fleeing, or fighting back, and instead held their ground, their respected lions, literally, right behind them. The lion charged with full force, her mouth wide open as if to devour them.

The paladins then began harmonizing, just as they did during the campfire.

 _Oooooohhh_

 _Oooooohhh_

 _Oooooohhh_

The creature showed no signs of stoping, her mouth opening wider than before, but the paladins kept harmonizing. Keith opened his mouth and sang to the creature.

 **Keith:**

 _You with the sad eyes_

 _Don't be discouraged_

The creature stopped right in front of them. The clouds of purple dust surrounded them, as if creating an invisible ground for them to stand on. Haggar continued to tug on the creature's neck over and over, who continuously roared in pain.

"Obey me! You serve the Galra Empire! Devour them!" the witch ordered. The creature swung its head around, as if internally debating wether or not to succumb to her whim or not. Never the less, Keith kept on singing the words.

 _Keith:_

 _Oh, I realize_

 _It's hard to take courage_

 _In a world full of people_

 _You can lose sight of it all_

 _The darkness inside you_

 _Can make you feel so small_

When the creature calmed, apparently seeing soothed by the paladin's harmonizing and Keith's song, Haggar instead readied to aim a blast at the team, digging her claws into the creature's neck, forcing her to keep her head down. When Haggar aimed at them, the heart in Keith's hand only deflected her attack by creating a shimmering white shield around them. Their bodies, as well as the bodies of their lions began to glow with their respected colors. Singing in perfect harmony.

 **Paladins:**

 _And I see your True Colors_

 _Shinning through_

 _I see your True Colors_

 _That's why I love you_

 _So don't be afraid_

 _To let them show_

 _(Let them show!)_

 _Your True Colors_

 _True Colors are beautiful_

Haggar suddenly found herself unable to control the beast once she lowered her head to the paladins. Her dark eyes softened, her mouth partly opened. She stared at them in surprise and Keith walked up, placing his hand on her nose before pressing his forehead. He smiled softly.

Haggar sneered, no matter what she did, she couldn't control the beast anymore. She stood up on her back and from her palm, a spear of black energy manifested, ready for her to take them down.

A blue beam came from above, and Haggar was thrown right off of the beast's back, along with Zarkon, knocking them both out and they floated in space. From above, Coran's ship appeared.

"Sorry I'm late! Did I miss anything?" he asked. The other paladins only laughed at his humor. He had chosen to stay back while the others fought Zarkon, not wanting to risk Coran getting hurt, since his ship would have been no match for the Galra military. Still, he came none the less just to be sure they were alright. Looks like he came in the nick of time.

The creature screeched sadly, and Keith petted her nose to calm her. "It's okay. It's going to be alright. You're free now."

Keith held the heart and spotted an area on the creature's chest, which appeared cracked like glass with a hole in it. Gently, Keith placed the stone into the hole, and the heart glowed brightly. Rays of light outstretched from the rock, and all around the creature's body. The surface cracked and broke, bits and pieces falling off at the seems, revealing a shimmering white surface underneath. The creature was engulfed in a pure white light, an feathers grew on its wings. Its body became fuller, healthier looking and soft white fur grew on its back, stomach, legs and tail. A cuff of hair appeared at the end of the tail and the cosmic dust changed from purple to white and blue. Once the light diminished, the newly feathered wings outstretched and the creature smiled at the paladins. Her eyes became beautiful blue orbs with a single with shine. Gazing into them gave the paladins a sense of warmth and happiness unlike anything they had ever seen before.

The lions of Voltron roared once the shimmering, angelic lioness presented herself, now fully restored to her original form once more. The paladins smiled and stared in awe at the mystical beast. They immediately knew who it was.

"Naela." Keith said, barely in a whisper.

The lioness, Naela, bowed her head in gratitude to the paladins and the lions all roared happily upon witnessing their creator before them. Haggar and Zarkon watched in horror as the Naela flapped her majestic wings, creating more and more cosmic dust which in turn spiraled in all around. The dust traveled to the Command Center, where the Galra witnessed the miracle unfolding before their eyes. Thace was released, and the entire base, or what remained of it, started to crumble, but the cosmic dust wrapped around the Galra, releasing them from the base, and shielding their bodies as everything fell apart. They didn't show signs of regret, or anger or even dismay. But rather shock, wonder and relief. The lioness flapped her wings and rose higher, nodding her head to the paladins to follow her. Each paladin entered their respected lion and flew off alongside the lioness, while everyone caught in her cosmos embrace flew beside her as well. Even Coran's ship, and the captive Haggar and Zarkon.

The group traveled at the speed of light, witnessing the lioness flying across the galaxy, spreading her magic all around. In the planet Arus, the Arusians cheered with glee and bowed down upon seeing the lion goddess soaring above them. Her cosmic dust landed on the ground, creating more lush green and delicious foods. The paladins waved hello to their old friends. The Arusian King smiled proudly and Allura waved.

"Well done, Paladins."

The Naela then visited the aquatic planet, where the merpeople surfaced, waving at the lions and the lioness, spreading her wings, allowing the dust to land on the surface, and melt the ice around their planet. Queen Luxia waved to the paladins, and even Plaxum blew Lance a kiss, much to his delight. The next planet was Olkarion, where the Olkari cheered and applauded once they saw Pidge flying alongside the Naela. Ryner, now in queen garments, smiled proudly at her pupil. The dust landed on the ground, creating beautiful flowers with neon outlines, as a gift for the Olkarion. The Balmarans cheered and cried tears of joy upon seeing the great beast, gifting their Balmara with great health, and even brighter coloring. Hunk waved at Shay and her family. The Naela flew towards the tribe of Marmorans, her massive wings flapped and her dust led their meteorite base out of the star. They no longer needed to live in hiding any longer. Now, they were free. The white skinned aliens exited from their home, not needing helmets of any kind, and renounced their long robes, revealing full body black suits and flew out, revealing they had moth-like wings on their back the entire time and were now free to travel the galaxy.

Kolivan flew towards the Black Lion, and bowed his head in gratitude. Keith bowed in return. "No hard feelings." he said. Kolivan happily flew off with his people.

The Naela traveled at such incredible speed, the team got to the planets they had visited, as well as new ones they have yet to see, in a matter of second, without feeling they had just been on a crazy roller coaster ride, and without the use of a wormhole. The planets that had been conquered by the Galra were now freed when their bases were destroyed, and the Galra bowed before the great lion, seeing that Zarkon was no longer their leader. When he saw them bow, the now wrinkled and frail Galra growled in anger.

"No! What are you doing? You serve _me!_ "

"Not anymore!" said one now former Galra commander. "The Naela is no longer yours to command. We have no more reason to serve or follow you. You no longer have any power over us."

Zarkon wanted to scream and yell, but instead he only coughed. The Naela traveled towards more planets and galaxies, all with the lions beside her. Many Galra decided to go with the Naela, now ridding alongside her in her cosmic dust, while others who refused instead ran away as quickly as they could, or instead were caught by their inhabitants once they had been freed. Without Zarkon, they either no longer had any power, or reason to keep on conquering. Keith watched with wide eyed wonder. To think, all this time, Zarkon had such a tight leash on the entire Galra empire, and all with the help of a celestial lion goddess no less. It was no wonder why he managed to live all this time, and gained such a large following of Galra. He was, in his own eyes, practically a god, but he was no more than a sad old man who wanted to be more than he was. Ambition at it's worst.

After for what felt no less than twenty minutes, or even an hour, The Naela finally arrived at the paladin's home planet.

"Altea." Allura said with a sigh of relief. She never imagined she'd miss home so much.

King Alfor sat on his throne, dejected while gazing at an old photograph of Allura when she was a child. One of his guards bursted into the door. "Your Majesty! You must come and see this!"

Alfor followed his guard and he, along with everyone on Altea, exited their homes to see the grand lioness land before the castle. The five lions landed beside her, lowering their heads down so their paladins could set foot on their home once more. Hunk immediately removed his helmet, got down on his knees, and started kissing the ground.

"Oh, it feels so good to be home!" he said, proceeding to kiss the ground…and spitting out some traces of dirt, and possibly a few bugs.

Allura removed her helmet, flipping her hair while wiping away the sweat with the back of her wrist. Alfor beamed upon seeing his daughter.

"Allura!"

"Father!"

The two embraced, King Alfor nearly weeped as he held his one and only child close. He caressed her cheek and Allura smiled sheepishly. "I may have gone, a little ways past our solar system." she said with a shrug and nervous chuckle. Her father started at the lions, and the Naela in disbelief. He thought maybe he was hallucinating when he saw that Galra had accompanied the lioness as well, but they had no weapons and showed no signs of attacking. In fact, they no longer had their Galra armor, but plain black, purple or red clothing and soft expressions. The other paladins, and even Coran approached him, with Balto and the mice tagging along. The coyote leaped into Coran's arms, licking his face and the mice scurried on his shoulders and head.

"Oh, I almost forgot you guys were still here." he said chuckling.

"What exactly have you been up to?" the king asked Allura. "And, where did you find all of this lions, young lady?"

The princess scratched the back of her head, "Um, well." she struggled to find exactly how to explain everything, but Coran kindly took it off her shoulders.

"Allow me, princess." he cleared his throat before speaking….surprisingly quick and without missing a beat. "I was kidnapped by your daughter when she stole the ship to rescue the Red Lion, then we followed a mystical rock towards three different planets, a Balmara and a secret base inside a star and in between black holes to find the lions of Voltron, which in turns out were created by the Naela-this girl-" she pointed at the large lion, "the kids formed Voltron, defeated Zarkon and his entire Central Command, pretty much freed the rest of the Galaxy from the Galra empire in the matter of two davages, and I guess you could say the Galra are good now. Well, I guess some of them were always good but couldn't be because Zarkon had stolen the Naela's heart, which was in fact the stone, which is what allowed him to live for so long and now he's a shell of his former self. Oh, also we caught Haggar."

Alfor blinked a few times until he noticed Haggar, and a weakened Zarkon on the ground. The witch sneered and rose up to attack, only to find her magic did not respond. She looked up at the Naela, who narrowed her eyes and pushed back her ears, angrily growling. The creature had taken away her magic. The witch was just about ready to claw someone's eye out…only to be immediately punched in the face by Allura and was knocked out cold.

"That was for trying to murder my father!" she exclaimed, rubbing her knuckles. The other paladins stared in surprise, safe for Keith, who simply smiled.

The now free Galra tied Zarkon's hands behind his back, as well as for Haggar. Out of all the Galra, one in particular stood out for Keith. His bruises had been healed and his face, though having aged, still bared a strong, uncanny resemblance to the face of the one who saved him when he was a child. The one who gave him a chance at a better life, even if it meant he would never see him again. Everything became silent and the Black Lion gave Keith a gentle nudge. Thace froze when he looked into Keith's eyes. He wasn't sure what he would say, or how he would react.

Keith made the first move and walked towards Thace. He expected Keith to yell or punch him right then and there. He deserved it after all. Instead, all he got was a question.

"Why?" Keith asked. "Why did you do it?"

Thace hung his head in shame. "I was young and foolish."

"No, I don't mean _that_ ….why did you save us?"

Everyone else froze in place, listening attentively as Thace struggled to say the words properly. It was hard when tears started falling from his eyes. King Alfor stared in astonishment. He didn't know Galras could cry, or were capable of anything other than feeling hatred and pride.

Thace looked directly into Keith's eyes as he spoke. "What I had with your mother was never love, I will admit that, and I regret the pain I caused her. But, the moment I saw your eyes for the first time. Heard you cry and then laugh upon seeing her face…I've never felt more alive. I know I shouldn't have taken her away from her husband, and I'm sorry if this sound selfish, but if there was any good that came out of this ordeal…it was you. It was always you. You…you were the miracle that awoke my heart in a way I could never explain. That's why I spared you. I couldn't rebel against Zarkon, even if I wanted to." Thace boldly took a step towards Keith, who was now shedding tears of his own. "I never had a chance to hold you. To see you face to face. But I could never be the father you deserved. That's why I couldn't let you see my face."

Thace turned away, unable to even look at the boy after what he had just confessed. "I was right. You grew to become a much better man than I ever was. I know words can't take away the pain I caused your family." he weeped. "Even if you still hate me, which I won't blame you for…please know…I will always, _always_ love you. If I could start over and change everything, I would."

Keith wiped away some of his tears before speaking. "For eighteen years…I've hated you for a lot of things. For being Galra, for what you did to my mother, but I think what hurt me the most, was that I've lived all this time, thinking that you never once cared about me. Cared enough to want to see me, or want to make amends with my mother, even if you couldn't take back what you did." his voice raised in volume before lowering again.

Thace shed more tears when Keith paused for a brief moment. He dared to look him in the eyes, which were covered by his dark bangs. He expected him to say something else, something that no doubt would make the cut in his heart grow bigger than it already was. Thace gasped when he felt Keith wrap his arms around his torso, crying into his chest. Thace hesitated for a moment before wrapping his arms around the young man.

"I'm tired of hatting you! I'm tired of hatting myself, and I'm tired of hatting the past!" Keith weeped. "I want to start over, father."

Thace cried even harder as he hugged Keith tightly. "Me too. I love you, my son."

Keith only cried harder, not out of pain, but out of joy, and relief and maybe a bit of sadness. This Galra had risked much to spare Keith's life, and gave him a chance to live. And all this time, he had wanted to see him again. Now, Keith knew his biological father, while he may have been a monster before, that didn't mean he couldn't change. Keith was done seeing nothing but evil Galra. He was done blaming them and being afraid. He wanted to take a chance. A chance to have his birth father in his life.

Lance, Hunk, Pidge, Allura and Coran were crying so hard upon witnessing the beautiful scene. The two female paladins hugged one another, overwhelmed by the emotional scene.

"I love moments like this!" Hunk said, using the ends of his headband as a hankie.

"Yeah." Lance said while wiping away his tears and spread open his arms. "Bring it in, _hermano!_ " the two boys hugged it out, while Pidge and Allura could only laugh at their over exaggeration.

King Alfor approached Thace and Keith. The king stared at the Galra for a few short moments before offering his hand to shake.

"Welcome home."

Thace happily shook the king's hand and Alfor turned to the rest of the Galra, who bowed in respect to the king. "In light of…well, everything that has just happened." he gave a look to the paladins and the Naela. "The Galra who no longer serve Zarkon, are free to reside here on Altea. However, due to your past crimes, you shall pay your sentences working at the Altea farmlands."

"The farmlands?" Thace asked in surprise.

"Indeed. I believe some time with the locals and integrating yourselves back into society would be a good start. Or, another option, you may find work in the city, or if you are interested, we could use some new recruits at the Garrison."

Thace smiled, "Thank you, your Majesty."

King Alfor was then in for a surprise when some of the Galra circled around him, hugging him tightly. "Oh, well, you're very welcome."

"NO!" Zarkon exclaimed in anger. His old wrinkly body became even more wrinkled and skinny. Almost skeletal. The quintessence he had been draining was fading away, and now at rapid speed. He stood upright, his slim wrists able to slip right through the cuffs, and he tried to strangle Keith, who stepped back, only for Zarkon to stumble and nearly trip. His body wavered more and more until the Altean winds carried away his dusty remains, leaving behind only his helmet. Haggar got down on her knees, her eyes deadlock and her mouth opened agape, too stunned to even speak. Zarkon was gone, the Naela was now free, and Haggar no longer had her magic. It truly was all over.

Lance cringed at the sight, "Yikes, that is _not_ a pretty way to go."

"It's finally over." Keith said. He flinched when he suddenly heard everyone, the citizens, even the Garrison professors and students cheering for Keith, chanting his name and even walking up to shake his hand in gratitude. Keith was too stunned to speak or give a proper reply. This had never happened to him before. He wasn't used to a large crowd of people showering him with praises. Lance surprised him by wrapping his arm around his neck and ruffling his hair, followed by Hunk who gave him a bare hug. Pidge and Allura also hugged him, and even Coran. Balto leaped into his arms, licking his face, even a bit of his mouth, much to his disgust, but he still laughed none the less.

The Naela lowered her head to the paladins, purring in gratitude. It was then, the paladins realized something. "What's gonna happen to the lions?" Lance asked worriedly. The idea of saying goodbye to Blue was just too painful to even place into words.

Thankfully, the Naela nodded to the lions, who rushed to their respected paladins, purring happily while nuzzling them with their noses. Their bodies began to shimmer and change, their sizes shrinking in bright colors, only to reveal normal sized lions, with abnormal coloring on their fur, reminiscent of their official colors, with their underbellies, snouts and paws colored white. Around their necks were collars with the Voltron V symbol. Given what the lions had just said, this way they could change into their robot forms whenever they pleased. The lions leaped onto their paladins, some tacking them down by licking their faces.

Pidge giggled as Green licked her face. "I can't believe it!"

"Welcome to the family, Blue!" Lance kissed his lion on the head.

Allura hugged her now furry Red Lion, sharing nose kisses, and the Black Lion, relatively larger than the others, happily purred and nuzzled against Keith's leg. Her fur was black, with traces of yellow and red colored markings on her back. Keith bent down and pressed his forehead to hers. A silent way of welcoming her to the family. He looked up at the Naela and smiled.

"Thank you. We promise to take good care of them."

The lioness nodded, knowing his words to be true, before spreading her wings open and took off into the sky. Her majestic voice echoed in the minds of the paladins.

" _Voltron is in your hands now, young Paladins. Protect and Defend the universe until I return to retrieve my children once more."_

Her cosmic dust sprinkled all around and the Naela took off into the sky, while Keith, Allura, Lance, Hunk, Pidge and Coran all gazed on, their respected lions loyalty beside them.

And that is where they will stay for a long, long time.

(~)

 **NOT THE END! TIME TO BE EPILOGUE!**


	16. Finale

(~)

The castle was alive with music and laughter. Each of the Paladins were all dressed up for the occasion, which was a party in honor of their heroic deeds. Lance wore a tuxedo with a blue tie and gray undershirt. Hunk wore a similar one, only with a yellow tie and a green undershirt. Lance adjusted his tie and then the bow tie around Blue, who wore it with pride.

"Looking good, Blue! Hunk, doesn't he look good?"

"Sure, I guess. Though honestly, I think yellow's really rocking the headband." Hunk said, nodding to his lion, who now wore a similar headband as he was. The two started wide eyed when Pidge walked in, her orange hair fully down, wearing a thin strapped green dress with a sparkly black sleeveless jacket around her shoulders, and visible black tights underneath the dress, which was adorned with a few sparkles at the helm. She wore a pair on converse shoes, which surprisingly matched well with the outfit, and a single triangle shaped hair clip adorned the left side of her hair and a pair of dangling green earrings. She still wore her glasses, but they only enhanced her natural beauty. Her loyal green lion stood beside her and floating drone, Rover, hovered near her.

Lance was the first to speak. "Whoa, Pidge. You clean up good."

"Really? I feel like a Barbie doll wannabe."

"Oh, please. Barbie _wishes_ she could pull that off." Allura said, beaming with pride while placing one hand on Pidge's shoulder, hugging her tightly.

The princes herself wore a dress, also that reached her knees. Pure white, with a pink waterfall open skirt over it, with a golden belt wrapped around her waist. The upper half of the dress was pink with a sweetheart neckline and with a transparent white fabric around her collarbone A pink cocker was around her neck, with a lovely rose clip, and long white sleeves that ended at her elbows with pink ruffles. She wore long white boots, with golden trims. Her hair was down, and wore her forehead tiara, but the back of her hair was adorned with pink roses. Red wore a royal looking collar with his Voltron pendant, and he wore it with visible pride.

Allura then noticed that there was somebody missing from their group. "Where are Keith and the Black Lion?"

"He's probably at balcony." Lance said, "He's still getting used to large crowds."

Allura proceeded to search for Keith at the balcony, just as Lance had said. Both he and Hunk fist pumped and Pidge only giggled, while rolling her eyes in amusement. Just as Lance said, Keith was at the castle balcony, overlooking the city, and the mountains up ahead. The Black Lion sat beside him, while Balto played with her tail. Her ears perked upwards when she saw the princess. Her and young Red nuzzled one another, and Keith turned around to see the princess standing before him. The winds caught in her silver hair, and the ends of her dress billowed in the soft breeze.

"You okay?" she asked.

"Yeah. It's just…I'm not used to being in a large room filled with people." he immediately caught himself, "N-Not that it's bad, or anything, it's just-"

"I get it." she said, walking up towards him and leaning against the railing beside him. "We did it."

"Heck yeah, we did. We saved the entire galaxy." Keith looked up at the sky, seeing the birds soaring above his head. His face fell for a moment. Allura reached out her hand and gripped it tightly.

"Shiro would be very proud of you." she said. "Him and your parents."

"Thanks." Keith placed his own hand over hers. "Your mother would be proud of you, too."

Allura blushed, shyly moving a stray hair over her pointed ear. "I'm really glad I met you."

The two stayed there for a moment, their hands together. Keith tried to think of something else to say, but he also came out empty. It didn't take long for him to realize that, while there would no doubt be more to talk about in the future, right now, the time for talking was over.

Keith turned to face the princess, still holding her hand, gazing into her eyes. They sparkled just as they did back at the cave and he caressed her cheek. Allura was lost in his indigo eyes, and just like back at the Balmara, the distance between them became smaller and smaller. Allura's hands reached out towards Keith's neck, pulling him in until their lips met. Their heads tilted a bit, deepening the kiss. Keith wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her in closer and Allura's hands ran through his messy black hair. They parted for a brief moment for some air before kissing again. Keith's reached upwards, caressing Allura's silver hair.

The entire time, Keith felt lighter than air. Any fears he had in the past were now long ways behind him, being carried away like dust in the wind. Once they parted, their foreheads pressed together, both smiling, their cheeks bright red. Allura kept her arms around Keith's shoulder, and he kept his arms around her waist. He never imagined anything like this would ever happen to him. For the first time in his life, people didn't look at Keith was a freak or a monster, but a hero. His biological father had turned out to have always held a place for Keith in his heart, he now had a loyal new companion in the Black Lion, who he was happy to welcome into his family, and now, he had his heart stolen by the most amazing woman he had ever met.

"So…does this mean we're dating now?" Keith asked innocently, which only made Allura giggled. He could listen to her laugh all day.

"It's a good thing you're cute." she said, kissing his lips once more. Right there was his answer.

"Finally!"

The two immediately separated when Lance showed up. Keith groaned in annoyance. "Seriously, Lance?"

"Alright, move it Martinez!" Pidge exclaimed in annoyance and pushed him back inside, with Hunk helping her. "Give these two some space!"

Hunk poked his head out once more. "As you were!" he said before zipping away.

Despite the moment being, semi-interrupted, the two laughed at the silliness of their friends. "Those guys are dorks." Keith said.

"Yes. But, they're our dorks." Allura said, making Keith laugh. She held his hand. "So, you want to go back to the party, or stay here a bit longer?"

"Well, I do owe you a dance."

"Waist, since when?"

"Since now." Keith boldly cupped Allura's cheek and kissed her once again. The princess melted into the kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck in the process. They parted, still smiling like they were on top of the world and entered the ballroom, hand in hand.

The two walked down the stairs, seeing everyone happily chatting. As Keith and Allura walked by, many of the Garrison students greeted Keith happily, even shaking his hand and showering him with praises. One student, in particular, was Rolo. He stood in front of Keith, not saying a word. His face was stone cold…right before softening, showing visible signs of regret. Rolo offered Keith his hand in apology.

"I'm sorry. I was wrong about you, Keith."

Keith blinked in surprise and firmly shook his hand, smiling in return. "No worries." he said. Rolo bowed to the princess before getting back to his friends. It would definitely take Keith a while to get used to not being called "Galra-trash", but he had a hunch he would adjust rather quickly.

The couple was then greeted by King Alfor, Coran and Thace. The Galra had managed to socialize with the people of Altea rather well, and Pidge was happily chatting with her parents and older brother Matt before walking over to the others, where Lance and Hunk quickly joined them.

"There are no words to describe how grateful I am to all of you." King Alfor said, especially to his daughter. "Allura, I'm sorry for being so hard on you before. You have proven that you are indeed a capable fighter and a skilled pilot." he placed a hand on her shoulder and kissed her forehead. "I am so proud of you." he then turned to Keith, "And you, young man." at first Keith was a bit scared about what he would say. To his relief, and surprise, the King hugged him. Once he finished, he ruffled Keith's hair.

"Job well done."

"Well, looks like we won't have to worry about anymore Galra causing trouble." Lance said. His eyes widened once he was reminded that Thace was still present. "Uh, no offense!"

"It's alright, kid." Thace expression then became serious.

Keith took notice of this. "Dad? What's wrong?"

"Zarkon's reign may be over, but I'm afraid not every Galra secretly rebelled against him. Not to mention, Zarkon had allies all across the galaxy. Our species wasn't the only kind causing trouble. After ten thousand years, there is still the aftermath to think about."

"Well, these guys can't be nearly as bad as Zarkon." Pidge said, folding her arms while smiling smugly.

"Perhaps not, but they can be just as dangerous. And with the Galra technology is still around, chances are others will find it and take advantage of it. You kids may have won the war, but there are still many more battles to fight."

"He's right." said Coran, "Good thing you paladins know what you're doing. Because you may need to form Voltron again and again."

"Wait, what?" Hunk asked in disbelief.

"We barely survived forming Voltron this one time!" Lance said.

"Oh, and that was just one Galra Central Command. Wait until you see what the rest of the Galaxy has in store! Yes, it's not going to be easy being defenders of the universe."

The paladins all turned to one another, their lions smiling in agreement. Keith smirked as he petted his lion's head. "Defenders of the universe, huh? It's got a nice ring to it."

(~)

After the party was over, the paladins all went home to their respected families, and lions. Keith and Allura shared a kiss goodbye before he and Thace left to head back to the shack. Thace was more than happy to be sharing this small home with his son, and was very happy to see a hover bike. He promised he would show Keith how a Galra really flew a bike. Balto accepted Thace wholeheartedly, the older Galra laughed when the coyote pup licked his face. For the first time in his life, Thace felt he had finally found his home.

As for Keith, he gazed out into the horizon, feeling the wind in his hair. He pulled out his blade, the sun reflecting off of its surface, while the Black Lion stood proudly beside him. Keith no longer wore any jacket to cover his Galra arms. Now, he wore them out in the open. Unafraid of his Galra half. As he looked up into the sky, Keith saw a black and white eagle, soaring in the sky, cawing out, as if to him. It felt as if Shiro was right there with him, even more so with the Black Lion. She shared the same courage and compassion as Shiro did, and he knew she would protect him just as much as he will protect her.

Whenever danger aroused, whenever a planet was in danger, or some past Galra threat arose, the five lions would change into their robotic forms, and their beloved paladins would ride them across the galaxy to far off places, meeting new friends, experiencing new adventures, and with each passing day, their friendships grew stronger and stronger. What seemed like a bunch of kids who wouldn't amount to much except being three simple space cadets, a princess copped up in a palace, and a hybrid outside, became the universe's new galactic heroes.

All by following the Voice that revealed to them exactly who they needed to be, and who they were deep inside.

And thus, as the lions soared out into space once more, ready to combine into the legendary hero again, the paladins all knew without a shadow of a doubt, that from here on out, there was nowhere else to go…

But farther, and farther.

 _See the lions as they light up the sky_

 _They call me_

 _At last I know_

 _That I can go_

 _It's the voice of truth and it's roaring inside me_

 _Now I know_

 _How fall I'll go!_

 _ **The End**_

(~)

 **Well, that's the end of this story. Just like my Miraculous Ladybug story, I'm leaving this an open ending, so while it may technically end here, you guys can imagine what kind of adventures happened next.**

 **Well, now that I'm done with this, I will be getting back to my original novel. It's been fun, and thanks for sticking with this story until the end.**

 **(Btw, this is not me saying goodbye, I'm just saying I'm done with this specific fanfic. Don't take the words out of context, please).**

 **From now own, my fanfic to-do list will be shortened from here on out, with only one more I'll be co-writing with a friend of mine, but that's about it. The majority of my time will be dedicated to my novel.**

 **Thanks again, God bless *kiss kiss*.**


End file.
